Full Moon
by xxxwolfbanexxx
Summary: What if Edward never came back? What if he met Bella's daughter at college 20 years later? Don't worry this is a Edward and Bella story.
1. Chapter 1

Full Moon

Preface--

What if Edward never came back in New Moon?

Edward Cullen never came back to reclaim my heart after that extremely eventful eighteenth birthday of mine. And so the gaping hole in my chest in place of my heart never healed.

I moved on with my life, however. Though it was extremely hard. That spring before I graduated, Jacob and his pack took out Victoria. I continued in the way of extreme sports for a year or two, with multiple injuries, to indulge the voice in my head, but eventually it started to fade as the months and years continued.

I somehow graduated high school with honors and I forced myself to leave Forks to attend the university in Seattle.

Though I do find myself more in love with Edward with each passing minute of each passing day, and the pain in my chest never lessened, I found myself growing in love with Jacob Black. He could never compete with Edward in my love, but he was safe and stable and warm. My sun, my best friend.

After my second year of college we got married, and soon after I found out I was pregnant. So I put college on hold and moved onto the tiny reservation in La Push with Jacob.

Money was tight, but we found that we were relatively happy. Jacob knew I was always in pain, but we constantly made jokes about how neither of us could hold are shape for very long.

After our daughter, Bailey, was born, I returned to my education at the local community college and eventually got my degree in teaching.

I soon became the English Literature teacher at the high school on the reservation. Books no longer tormented me anymore, so I found I could read the classic again. I also found that music wasn't so appalling, either.

It took years to overcome the pain of getting reminded of Edward. But I think what lessened it was my love for Bailey.

She grew up in La Push with Jacob and me, the pack, and Charlie. We were pretty content. However, Bailey never knew her father was a werewolf. She knew the legends, but that's all they were to her, legends. And she never found out about my first true love. I never spoke of him in front of her and everyone respected the fact, and they never utterd a word.

However, things change, and my radiant sun, Jacob, imprinted on a young lady from the Makah reservation. I knew this was a possibility. Jacob tried to fight it, in his love for me, but in the end I told him to go to her.

This happened when Bailey was fourteen.

We're still a family, though. Jacob only lives a few miles from where I now lived and we are still best friends, which I know helps Bailey.

Now Bailey is seventeen, almost eighteen and heading to college in Seattle.

And though twenty years have passed, I don't look a day over twenty-five. And somehow I think that had to do with Jacob. Who will forever appear to look in his twenties, until he controls the change. He still looks the same as always.

I am forever grateful for the light and warmth Jacob and Bailey filled my life. But Edward has always crossed my thoughts and I was always holding myself together. I still hear his fading voice on occasion, but I'm always filled with hope that he will someday come back and reclaim my heart.

**This story will be in multiple point of views, and continue on. Please Review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Bailey's POV

"Okay, I think I'm all set," I declared, turning to my mom and dad, with a nervous smile.

Jacob knitted his brows together, "Are you sure you don't want us to stay and help you unpack?"

I rolled my eyes. "No. I'll be perfectly okay. Besides I don't want you to scare off my roommate." I eyed my very tall and muscular father, who didn't look anywhere near his thirties, and he was thirty-seven.

He laughed and grinned at me. I grinned back and turned to my mother. Her eyes appeared moist, but she was awkwardly composed in her black dress pants and crisp white button down blouse.

She gave me a sad smile as I hugged her good-bye. She was shaking uncontrollably, like I often saw my father do, but never understood it.

"Are you sure you have everything? A full tank of gas? Money?" She asked into my ear.

"Yes, mom," I replied, letting her go and turning to my father and embraced him. The top of my head barely reached his collarbone and I was still taller than my mom. "Don't worry about me. I'll for sure be home for thanksgiving and I'll try to make up for weekends."

"Okay. Bye Bai-Bear," He croaked, using my baby name, and releasing me.

"Bye, dear," Bella whispered, cupping my face in her hands, as tears streamed down her face. Jacob put a large hand at the small of her back as he lead her from the room as I waved. Following them to the door, I watched my mom collapse into my father's chest, clutching her sides and sobbing.

Grimacing, I closed the door. Sighing I felt my face fall, as I moved to my boxes to unpack. A stray and unnoticed tear fell from my eye at the parting. Wiping it away, I inhaled and exhaled loudly. I was extremely nervous about college and I dreaded the change. Mostly because I've always lived in La Push. The only time I ventured out of our small-town was to go on shopping trips to Seattle and the occasional visit to Jacksonville, Florida to see my grandparents. I wished I was as comfortable in the city as my mother was.

Emptying a box of knick knacks, I thought of Bella's broken form in the hallway. I never knew why my mom would clutch her sides like that and no one ever volunteered the information. I, however, associated it to anxiety of some kind.

After an hour I was almost finished unpacking. All I had left was putting my clothes away. I glanced at my side of the room. My bed was pushed into a corner, with a generic black comforter on top. Against the wall at the foot of the bed was a bookcase full of my favorites, and on top was an old CD player. Next to the bookcase was a mini refrigerator and above it on the shelf was a microwave.

Done unpacking, I set my laptop on my bed where I took a seat, crossing my legs. Playing some downloaded music softly, I checked my e-mail, hoping my best friend, Lindsey Uley, had sent me something already.

Seeing that she did, I clicked on it and took a bite of an apple.

The page loaded within a second and it said:

Bai,

How's Seattle and college? Is it scary, yet? Dad's still upset that I'm taking a semester off, but he'll survive. How's your roommate?

Love you,

Lindsey

I sighed and shook my head. Lindsey was trying to save enough money to get an apartment in Seattle with Seth Clearwater before January. It honestly boggled me on how Lindsey was so in love with Seth. Especially when he was only a couple of years younger then my father. However, he still appeared to be in his early twenties. It was so weird how my family, the Quileutes, never seemed to age properly.

Anyway, Lindsey and Seth got married that past June.

Replying back to her, I said that college and Seattle weren't scary yet, and how my roommate wasn't even here yet. And then I asked her how married life was treating her and Seth. I clicked on send just as the door opened.

And in walked a bleach blond girl who was wearing a black leather mini skirt and a pink tank top. She had a suitcase trailing behind her and her parents and siblings bringing in box after box.

The girl and the family ignored me so I openly gawked at her. She had a fake orange-y spray on tan and blue eyes. She would be quite pretty if she scrubbed off the spray. And she had to have been crazy for wearing that outfit. It may be the beginning of September, but it was raining out and quite chilly. On my bed, I was wearing a pair of jeans, a white long sleeved thermal and over that a black vintage tee.

Ignoring the blond and her family, I went back to my computer and my apple. Hearing the door close, I glanced up to see that the family left.

Turning to me, the girl smiled brightly and said, "Hi, I'm Shelley Crystal, what's your name?"

"Hey, I'm Bailey Black," I replied nonchalantly.

Shelley glanced up at the ceiling in thought. "Hm…Bailey…I like that name, it sounds fun."

I gazed at her perplexed, wondering if this girl was on medication, because she seemed crazy?

Silence followed as Shelley started to unpack. Glancing at her stuff I also saw that she brought a mini refrigerator.

Good, I thought, maybe this means I don't have to label my food.

"So," Shelley began, "I got a flyer inviting all the new freshmen to a party tonight. Do you want to go?"

I cringed. Ugh, parties! I hated them just as much as my mom. And just like my mom I had no coordination or dancing skills. Fortunately, this party was sure to be packed, so who'd notice me?

Not wanting to be rude, I smiled, though it was more of a grimace, and said, "Sure, sure," in my patronizing way.

Not noticing my tone, she said, "Great! We should have a blast!"

I cringed some more as Shelley went back to unpacking, awkwardly. Shelley seemed like a nice person, but in my experience that meant she really wasn't. She wasn't what I'd call friend material to me.

To be honest the only people I have had a connection with are on the reservation in La Push. It was very hard for me to relate to people. I sometimes thought something was wrong with my brain.

Time passed quickly as I watched Shelley unpack. Her comforter was a soft pink and she had numerous furry stuffed animals that she arranged on her bed. Even her laptop was pink.

To soon Shelley announced it was time to get ready for the party. I discreetly rolled my eyes. I was ready.

But seeing her bustling around, I felt bad so I went to my closet to find something dressy. Unfortunately my resources were fairly limited. Scanning my wardrobe, I found the white dress I bought for Lindsey's wedding. I normally never wore dresses, so for me to do this was absolutely torture.

Stripping off my clothes I pulled on the dress. It was spaghetti strapped and it ended just below the knee.

Standing in front of the mirror I brushed my hair out and then pulled my hair back into two French braids.

Turning around I saw Shelley was ready so I slipped on a jean jacket and some sneakers.

Leaving the dorm, I studied what Shelley was wearing. She had on the same leather skirt, but now her shirt was a pink halter top that left little to the imagination. My guess was that she was looking for a guy. Unfortunately the fake tan didn't complement her.

I on the other hand, had naturally tan skin, a russet color, like my father's. My mother was very pale. I also was taller than her. I was five foot eight. But like my mother, I had a heart-shaped face with a widows peek. The same color hair, deep brown with touches of auburn, and I had the same big, brown eyes and narrow nose. However, I had my father's mouth and I was less soft in my features then my mother.

Walking down the street, Shelley was babbling about her life. Surprisingly, she told me she had a serious boyfriend back home and I couldn't doubt her sincerity.

"So…do you have a boyfriend?" She asked curiously, peeking up from under her bangs.

My muscle's tensed. I was hoping the questions would come later. I sighed, "No. I don't."

"Why not?" She truly sounded intrigued.

"I was never really interested," I lied, hanging my head.

Shelley nodded, understandingly. Possibly thinking no one ever asked me out. Which wasn't true. The truth of the matter was that I became broken hearted years ago and never really got over it. I had trust issues.

There was silence again.

Suddenly a strange sensation went through me and I automatically glanced up to see five teenagers standing not so far away.

My eyes widened as I took them in.

There were two girls. The taller one with golden hair that flowed down her back was statuesque- like and incredibly beautiful. A girl that was so good-looking that any other girl would take a hit on there self-esteem from just seeing her. The shorter girl had dark hair, the blackest of coal, in a spiky disarray around her face and she was so slight she could be a pixie.

The boys on the other hand were just as beautiful. The biggest one had bands of muscle wrapped around him and looked like a serious weight-lifter. He also had short, dark curly hair. The next boy was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey blond. The last boy was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He appeared the most boyish.

They all looked so different, but similar at the same time. With extremely chalky pale skin and purplish bruise-like shadow under there eyes as if they were all sleep deprived. But what I noticed the most was that all their eyes were a hard butterscotch in color.

I stared at this group of teenagers because they were all breathtakingly beautiful. Devastatingly gorgeous. They all looked like an airbrushed picture in a magazine.

Suddenly a burst of wind blew past me in there direction. They all turned to look at me with steely looks, but I only focused on the boyish one because when he turned to look at me, he glared with such defiance, I was actually scared. But a quick second passed and his eyes widened in shock as did the others.

Edward's POV

I absolutely couldn't believe at what I was staring at. I was completely, utterly in shock. I was gazing upon an angel, my Bella.

Just a second ago I was having a quiet, fast conversation with my siblings and then the wind blew past me and I lost all train of thought, when the scent overwhelmed me. It smelt like Bella, but not her at the same time. It was hardly as strong, but I still detected the scent of freesia. But mostly I smelt a slight musk.

Staring at the girl who I thought was Bella, I took her in. If my heart could beat it would be going one hundred miles per hour, no, one thousand miles per hour. However, her scent and age told me it couldn't be my beloved. Surely, Bella was in her twenties around now? I couldn't be sure though. Time passed so much differently to us.

But the girl reminded me of Bella. Her eyes were the same shape and color, with the same amount of depth. A depth in which you could tell they observed more then the average eye. However, her coloring and body structure didn't match by any measure. The girl was so dark, as my Bella was so very pale.

I sighed, my eyes molting into sad puddles. The girl pulled away from our eyes and hurriedly walked away with her friend in tow.

"My God, Edward," Alice gasped, "That girl was the exact replica of Bella!"

"No, she wasn't," I growled, full of pain. I felt a wave of contentment come to me from Jasper.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I absolutely hate to say this, but even the scent was similar."

"Yeah, and we all saw her," Emmett added, crossing his arms.

"Don't," I said. "It wasn't Bella. She would have been much older then that by now and it hardly looked and smelt like her. It wasn't her. And don't go interfering in her life either," I commanded, gazing at Alice specifically, because she had an apprehensive look to her child-like face.

Alice furrowed her eyebrows, as everyone looked upon me as if I was crazy. And maybe I was? Why would I be trying so hard to convince myself that the girl, was nothing like Bella, if I wasn't?

**No copyright infringement intended! **


	3. Chapter 3

Bella's POV

"Bells, I want you to come home for awhile," Charlie commanded.

"What? Char-dad, no," I said. "I'm finally settled into my new house." I couldn't fathom why Charlie wanted me home. Was he sick? No. He wouldn't need me here, he had Sue Clearwater now, his wife that he married thirteen years ago.

I gazed at him in concern.

Charlie cleared his throat, uncomfortably. "I'm worried about you Bells. You bought that big house, and you're all alone up there in the middle of the woods. Jacob is remarried and Bailey is in college. I-I'm worried that you'll fall back into your….your depression."

I forced a smile. I knew I couldn't foul Charlie, though. He's seen this smile for many years when I've been upset. Though I did try. "Dad, I'm hardly alone. I have my students everyday. And Jacob and Emily and the rest of the Quileutes visit all the time. They'd never abandon me. We're family."

"You look so tired," he commented.

I was clearly confused. Charlie hardly ever voiced his concern about me, even after Edward left he hardly voiced it. I knew this must be hard for him to ask me to return home. He must have observed the sadness in my eyes.

Although at his comment, I actually did smile. "I haven't been sleeping well. Can you believe it's because the house is too quiet?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I can believe tat. It was that way for me when you left too. Even though you were a naturally quiet person." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to stay for a little while? I still don't understand why you had to get such a big house." He shook his head. "Unless it was to throw huge parties for the pack," he chuckled.

Yep, Charlie knew about everything now. He knew about the Quileute werewolves and about vampires. He especially knew about the Cullen's.

After he married Sue, there was no choice in not telling him the truth. I mean both her children were werewolves, and obviously some things would have turned suspicious. Plus Charlie had a right to know since he had joined the family. So they told him the legends, about the wolves, about the vampires, about the treaty, and about the Cullen's.

He didn't believe any of it at first, but then he spotted Leah phase one day in a fit of rage. Undoubtedly, he went ballistic. He thought he was going crazy. So the tribe had a meeting and especially went into the details for him. Finally he knew everything was true.

And he finally knew my deep, dark secret.

I remember it way too clearly. We had even sat at this very table in his kitchen.

"Bella, how could you never have told me?" He had asked, sadly, and a bit disappointed in me entirely.

I had been terrified. Dipping my head down, I had said, "It wasn't my secret to tell."

"So you knew?" He had asked in astonishment.

I looked him in the eye, then. "Of course. I actually found out from the legends. Jacob told me about them before he even knew himself."

Charlie had looked at me wildly. "And you let him near you even after you knew?"

"Dad….you don't understand," I had began. "You didn't know them, you didn't really even knew Edward. You know what the elders told you of the treaty. They didn't hunt humans, they hunted animals and they were truly good. Edward saved my life numerous times."

"What are you talking about? Saved your life?"

"Remember, that day shortly after I came here, when that van almost killed me?" He nodded, curtly. "Well, Edward saved my life then. That's when I started to suspect that he wasn't human. I saw everything that he did."

There was silence, so I had decided to continue, my head bowed.

"And then that night I went to Port Angeles with Jessica and Angela, some guys were following me, and then Edward saved me then, he had followed me there. And that night I ran away…it wasn't because I hated Forks, it was because some nomadic vampires found my scent and wanted to hunt me. So I had to make sure you were safe so I came here to lure them away."

"My God, Bella! The injuries….in Phoenix….they weren't from you falling?" It had appeared he was going into a state of shock.

I nodded. "Edward saved me then. But my injuries weren't his fault. I was stupid and was pulled into a trap."

"Bella…how could you…?"

"Don't!" I had yelled. "Don't ask me why! I stayed with him because I loved him! He was my soul mate! You don't get to ask me why!"

He had shook his head. "No, Bella. I just don't understand. Why did he leave?"

At this tears had entered my eyes. "He left so I could have a fulfilling human life. A life I would have never experienced if he had stayed. He was trying to be totally selfless. But in the end….he should have stayed with me. He was the love of my existence."

"Oh, Bella," Charlie had uttered, before uncharacteristically pulled me into his arms, finally knowing why I had suffered the way that I had.

"Bella?" Charlie asked, sweeping me back into the present.

"What? Oh. Yes, I'm sure," I replied. "And I bought the house because it was so airy…it was nice."

In truth I had only bought the house because it had reminded me of the Cullen house. It was smaller, only two stories, but it was old fashioned with a wrap around porch, beautiful hardwood floors, and big windows. It was also very airy and open. And I enjoyed working on it. Fixing it up and painting. It kept my mind off things, that I didn't like to think about. However, it would forever remind me of my beloved Edward.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N--I'd like to apologize about the last chapter. It was underlined. I don't understand how it got that way and I don't intentionally do it. I also can't figure out a way to change it because it doesn't let me. I'm very sincerely sorry about that, and I'm hoping this chapter won't do it also.

Bailey's POV

It was finally Monday morning and the first day of class. The weekend went excruciatingly slow, having to listen to Shelley babble on and on about superficial things and having her complain about my open window.

Yeah, the girl who can walk outside in the freezing rain in nothing but a mini skirt was complaining about a window that was opened a crack.

For the last day or so I had been feeling hot, almost feverish, but I had felt fin physically. Finally being comfortable last night I knew it had passed. Now I was getting ready for my Music Appreciation class.

I had pulled on a pair of jeans, a black long sleeved thermal and over that a red vintage tee. I slipped on some black sneakers and I ha my long brown hair brushed straight.

Gathering my books into my backpack, I couldn't think of nothing but the five chalky pale, indescribably beautiful teenagers I had come across a couple days ago.

They were so unnatural, so perfect. But yet somehow it seemed like I knew them from a past life. Although, I didn't know why.

Also I couldn't stop comparing them to each other. Which one was the most beautiful? The statuesque blond girl or the boyish bronze-haired one? I couldn't decide.

Shaking my head, I glanced at my watch. I had little more then ten minutes to make it to class. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to find my classes the previous day. The previous day I had to get away from my overly talkative roommate before I strangled her, so I had decided to explore the grounds.

I mean I don't have a problem with overly talkative people, but Shelley seemed so false. Like she was trying to act happy, when she really wasn't. It was quite annoying that she couldn't just be herself.

Glancing around quickly to make sure I had everything, I grabbed a granola bar and ran out. On my way to class, I ate the bar down in just three bites. Also on my way to class it started to pour. Angrily, I glared up at the sky. Now I was going to get soaked.

Running through the rain, my shoes got soaked and sprayed loose water up from the grass onto my jeans.

Sighing in relief, I entered the building that appeared to be a auditorium but actually a classroom.

Ascending the stairs in the middle of the classroom, I looked around. The classroom was really packed. Nearly every seat was taken already. Seeing about three empty seats in a row, I headed up to them before anyone else came into the room and took them. Sitting down, I dropped my bag onto the floor and rung out my dripping hair, knowing I must look like a drowned rat.

Getting out my books, a movement caught my eye. The bronze-haired boy from the other night had just sat down two seats away from me.

Staring through my thick curtain of hair, I saw that he was staring at me. Although his was peculiar.

He was leaning slightly away from me, with tension in his body. His hands were balled up, with his muscle's held in tension. I realized he was bigger then I thought when he wasn't compared with the other two boys I saw. His eyes were conveying so much. Frustration, curiosity, and…fear?

He also glared at me slightly, although the look was gone after a minute. However, the way that he was looking at me, I was consumed by some irrational fear. Through the glare, I wondered how could he hate me so much already?

Edward's POV

I had no choice but to sit next to her. The girl that reminded me so of Bella.

It was my first class of the day, Music Appreciation, and luck so far was not on my side, though it rarely was. No seat was left unopened, except for the two alongside her. So I took the one farthest away.

The girl was soaking wet from the rain, which resulted in her scent being so much stronger then I remembered from the other night. Rain always resulted in that. But, of course, I've known stronger and overcame it. And had also just fed. So I was well in control.

I stared at her from the corner of my eye, and I was surprised that she did look so much like Bella. I thought that I may have had an arrogant hallucination the other night, for I have imagined Bella appearing out of thin air on numerous occasions.

But this girl looked only marginally like Bella. She had the same heart-shaped face, widows peek, hair, and narrow nose. However, I've come across many humans with those exact same features.

This girl, though, had the same depth in her eyes, which I've never seen on any other human. Although those were not Bella's eyes. This girls eyes were much darker in shade, like onyx. Almost the shade of color my eyes turn when I need to feed.

How could she look so much like Bella?

I knew Bella had no siblings or any other younger family members. No other family members besides her father and mother. And Bella could only be in her twenties, right?

I couldn't understand, so instead I focused, trying to invade the depths of her thoughts, yet nothing came.

This terrified me completely, and I wasn't easily scared. There was only one other person who could defy my ability of mind reading, but now there was another. This girl that looked somewhat like her.

Suddenly the girl turned the full force of her eyes on me and I was frozen. So many emotions flowed through me. Fear, confusion, happiness and pain. The pain was overwhelming…to overbearing.

I felt the pain tear me open, the hole in my un-beating heart slash open wider. I felt my face collapse in torment and I knew I had to leave.

Gathering my bag hastily, I bolted out of the room and out of the building. Out in the pouring rain, I clutched myself as tearless sobs broke through me.

I ran to my blue Mercedes, and sped off into the distance, breaking.

I had loved Bella so much, and I loved her even more now. I had always wanted to go back to her, but I had stopped myself. No scratch that, I had gone back once, just to check on her. It had been just before her graduation. I had told myself that if she seemed relatively happy, relatively moved one I would leave her be. And I did witness that. I could still tell she was unhappy, but she seemed at peace, like she was moving on. So I left her again, unknowingly to her.

I wished everyday that I would have stayed with her, but time passes quickly and differently for us and soon years had passed, and so I realized I couldn't intrude on her life. Bella would have moved on and lived her life. Went to college, found another love, and started a family.

How could I intrude on that?

Bailey's POV

After my one class of the day, I was back in my dorm room. And I was very grateful Shelley wasn't around. She had classes all day.

Changing into some warm sweats and a hooded sweater, I brushed my wet hair back into a ponytail.

Eating a bowl of cereal, browsing the internet, I was deeply disturbed by the behavior of that beautiful boy. Even before the class began, he bolted from the room, but not before I could see his brow crumple in pain.

It was so weird and disturbing. How could he react so strongly to me?

It upset me.

However, luckily I was a passive person. And soon I was consumed by homework, music, and checking my e-mail.

The hours passed. Checking my watch, though, I came to realize I had barely anytime left and I would have to endure mindless chatter.

I was hoping Shelley was studious and she'll consume her time studying, rather then talking, and leave me alone.

I mean Shelley was a nice enough person, but fake, and I had an underlying feeling she wasn't too nice to your face.

Cell phone ringing, I lunged to it. Checking the name, before I answered it.

"Hello, daddy," I answered with a bright smile.

"Hay, Bai-Bear," Jacob replied with an easy laugh, using my baby name.

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, dad don't call me that!"

"Sure, sure," he replied. "So how's college life? Have you made any enemies yet?"

I frowned thinking of the beautiful boy, but then I laughed, "It's okay. And you know me. So how's Sara and Jamie?" Sara was my stepmother and Jamie was my three year old stepbrother.

"They're all good. Sara's finally getting over her morning sickness, and Jamie's making a lot of new friends in pre-school."

"That's great!" I exclaimed sincerely. And I honestly was happy. I loved my stepmother and little brother.

"So have you seen mom lately?" I asked in concern.

"Yes," he replied, his tone changing somewhat. "I've visited her everyday and she's doing well."

Something told me he was lying. "Dad…" I warned.

"Sorry, Bai-Bear," he interrupted, "But Sara needs me. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Dad…" I said again.

"Love you, bye," and the line went dead.

I sighed and snapped my phone shut.

Obviously my father was lying to me about my mom. Which meant she was having problems being alone.

Bella was a strong-willed woman. I knew she made decisions and kept to them. But I also knew, from observing her that she had problems being alone. I didn't understand it, but to me she always seemed to try and keep her mind off of things. She always keeps busy. Always cleaning, remodeling the house we got a few years ago, cooking, and making rigorous teaching agenda's. She never was able to keep still.

I've also noticed spasms of pain cross her face frequently, just like that boy in my class. And I've heard her more then once sobbing in her bedroom and screaming from nightmares in the middle of the night.

I've always suspected something traumatic happened in her past but she never spoke of it, nor anyone else did.

Never did I understand her. My straight laced mom, who owned a motorcycle and taught me how to cliff dive? It was really strange.

I loved my mom, but I have always been closer to my dad.

Hearing keys jostle the door handle, I sighed and put my ear buds in my ear and turned on some music so I wouldn't be disturbed.

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	5. Chapter 5

Edward's POV

I was breaking all the rules now.

Speeding down the road at one hundred miles per hour in my Mercedes, I was heading back to Forks and back to my Bella. Well, not technically in that sense. But I was going to look upon her from afar.

Getting close to Forks, I found a deserted road and parked on the side of it, hiding the car in the overflowing bank of ferns.

Now I was making my way on foot.

I could smell Bella everywhere. It was still so fresh in my mind that it could have been only yesterday that I'd last seen her, instead of years. The scent brought a smile to my lips, and I mused on the fact that when I first smelled the scent of her blood it nearly drove me crazy with lust. Now it was a familiar reminder of what we had.

It was dark and raining as I wound my way through the deserted roads, coming to a stop in front of a old-fashioned, white, rectangular, two story house with a wrap around porch.

Bella's house.

The lights of the downstairs glowed golden, reflecting shadows in every direction from the canopy of trees surrounding this magnificent building. Making my way through the shadows, I made myself completely inconspicuous.

The windows were quite large, I observed, as I quickly peaked in through them. The first window I looked into I found a spacious living room with plush cream colored furniture, with plump peach colored floral pillows. I also found a beautiful grand piano laying dormant in the corner. The walls were stark white with many gilded pictures hanging off them. And the wood floor gleamed brilliantly in its chestnut marvel. Everything seemed to have a place and I didn't see a speck of dust.

Frowning to myself, I saw a resemblance to this house. It looked like a much tinier replica of our family home here in Forks. 

Realization hit me as I saw that my family had much more of a impact on her life then I previously thought.

Face crumpled, I made my way to the next opening of light. And that's where I saw Bella for the first time in years.

She was in the kitchen, of course, cooking dinner. And looked just like before, but with a marginal difference.

Her body was still slight, but fuller, more like Esme's motherly frame. Seeing her face as she turned around, it was also different. It was older, but still young. Her forehead was creased in a constant state of wariness and her deep eyes sad. Her dark mahogany hair was different also. It was longer, fuller, flowing down her back, and parted to the side, instead of the center. Her sense of dress was older, more sophisticated, also. White slacks adorned with a black turtleneck.

Bella looked more beautiful then ever.

I stared in her windows for hours. Watching her eat, clean the kitchen vigorously, and make her way up the beautiful staircase, and ascend in pale blue silk pajamas, and her hair up in a tight bun. I followed her through the windows until she settled in a chair in a small study and set to work on some papers.

Time passed until she grew wary. Turning off the lights until she disappeared up the stairs to where I presumed her bedroom was.

Listening to the silence, I crept in through the house. I passed photos in gilded frames that I barely gave a passing glance and made my way to her study.

Once inside I found the papers she was working on. She was grading essays. Glancing at the wall I saw a teaching degree.

So she taught? What, English? I presumed it to be true.

Rummaging through the drawers, I found a copy of divorce papers.

My insides wrenched in pain. So she had moved on with her life and loved another.

But before I could put the documents back, a picture fluttered to the floor.

Grabbing it back up, I saw it was a picture of me. It was the picture she took of me on her eighteenth birthday.

Emotion flooded through me, when I saw I wasn't forgotten.

But then I got confused. How did she get this picture? When I had left I took all reminders of my family and me away from her.

…it would be as if I never existed…

I had hidden everything under a floorboard in her room at Charlie's.

How did she discover it?

Sighing, I slid the picture back, feeling the hole grow larger in my chest. I knew I'd greatly regret this later.

Leaving the room, I made my way up the stairs, quietly. Pausing outside Bella's door I detected she was deeply asleep so I crept inside.

The room was large. In the middle of the room against the wall lay a large plush queen size bed and in the corner was a soft recliner. The room was done up in cream, beige, and peach.

Walking over to where Bella was sleeping, I gazed upon my angel. Her chest rising and falling slowly and she looked utterly peaceful. All worry wiped from her face. She appeared so young.

Reaching out gently, I lightly stroked her face with the tips of my fingers. Involuntarily shuddering from the cold, I pulled away and made my way across the room to te chair and sat down.

I watched my sweet Bella sleep for hours. All the while contemplating that I had made the worst mistake in my very long non-life.

How could I have left? No. More importantly, how could I have allowed myself to stay away?

I knew the answer, though. I knew I had been selfish for keeping Bella to myself. For constantly putting her in danger, and for keeping herself from living a full and happy life. And I now knew that she had. Maybe not as happy as she could have been, but still content. She had lived more than me these past years.

For the first years, I literally more of less curled in a ball and let the misery overtake me. I wallowed. However, I could tell this hurt my family, so I picked myself up and began to live my false life. Went through the phases. I had traveled for a few years afterwards with various members of my family, but we eventually gravitated together to a area that suited us and we continued our mundane educations.

I never enjoyed any of it. Not like I enjoyed my non-life before Bella, though. But it was excruciating.

Now that I was here with Bella I felt whole. I no longer hurt. At this moment I felt like me.

Bella rolled over to her side. She groaned, and mumbles, "Mm…Edward…Edward, I love you…"

My eyes snapped open wider at her words. I was overflowed with emotion, and I knew then for sure that I was constructed only for her, and she was molded only for me.

I was overjoyed at her words. She still loved me!

After all this time she still loved me. But how long has it exactly been?

Standing back up, I strode back over to my beloved and stroked her face again, but this time I planted a tender kiss upon her head before leaving the room.

I needed to know more about Bella's life after I had left. So I went back to her study to observe. First I found the newspaper and found the date and really let it consume me. I found that it was September 7, 2025. A lump formed in my throat. It had been twenty years, almost to the date. I had never realized that amount of time had passed. Bella was what? Almost thirty-eight by now?

Setting aside the newspaper, I took out the divorce papers, again to see the name of the man she had married. Skimming it through I found the signature of one, Jacob Black.

Bella married that Quilleute boy?

I shook my head and left the study in search of pictures. The first picture I found was of Bella and Jacob Black on what appeared to be her wedding day. They were both beaming on what looked like First Beach.

The second picture I found was of Renee in the hospital with a baby and whom I presumed was Phil. The next one I found was the same except the parents were Bella and Jacob.

The lump grew larger as I realized Bella was a mother. However, it wasn't here, it must be at the father's.

The next photo was of another wedding picture, but this time it was of Charlie and a beautiful dark haired, russet skinned women.

The last picture I allowed myself to look at was of a little girl. A little girl on a beach, in Florida? The little girl had dark reddish-brown skin, long thick brown hair, and big, wide eyes. A permanent laugh etched across her face, with a couple missing teeth. She looked to be maybe five or six. She was beautiful and I knew this was Bella's daughter.

A daughter she would have never had if I would have stayed.

My face crumpled as I left the house.

About a mile up the road, Alice jumped out of the forest, with a disappointed look spread across her face.

Dancing up to me with her small hands upon her waist, she asked, "So, did you find what you were looking for?"

**HaHa, sorry for the cliffhanger. I will be updating tomorrow though, so don't worry. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. If you have any ideas on some things you want to see in the future, let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

Edward's POV

… "So, did you find what you were looking for?"

"Unequivocally," I responded, continuing in my direction.

Alice's face melted. "Oh, Edward. You should have known this would upset you!" She sounded like a disapproving mother. She took up a pace next to me.

"I expected it," I admitted, pinching the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger, closing my eyes while I walked. "But seeing it is very different."

She nodded, sympathetically. "Are you going to go back?"

Stopping short, I gazed at her quizzically. I had glimpsed something in her mind. Finally I understood, "You knew about all of this, didn't you? And you kept it from me!"

Ashamed, Alice bowed her head for a second, then looked up into my eyes with a hard expression upon her childlike face. "Yes," she admitted. "I have seen a couple of her decisions."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this!" I thundered back at her.

Alice's eyebrows knitted together as she imitated my voice, " 'Don't be looking for her future, either. We've done enough damage.' " She sighed as her face crumpled in resignation. "Just because I don't look for her future, doesn't mean I don't see it."

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked, incredulous. More importantly how could she keep it away from her thoughts?

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked. "I didn't want to hurt you with the details. Plus you were gone pretty much every time I had a vision of her. You and your distractions."

I sighed, calming down, knowing that she was right. "I understand."

"I was hoping you would," she commented, warily, as she got into the passenger seat of my Mercedes, and me into the drivers seat. "So are you going to go back?"

Would I?

"No," I replied. "I have no right to intrude on her life."

And I knew I didn't have the right. She had a daughter to focus on, not me.

"Right," she agreed, and then a smile lit up her face, "So how did you know where she lived?"

I laughed, half-heartedly. "The internet. Plus I had a hunch, once I was back in town."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Figures."

Bella's POV

I awoke in a melancholy state. Not knowing what to feel. I had the strangest dreams last night. A whole jumble of images that resulted in a picture of Edward and me lying in the grass of our meadow under the sun. It was exactly like our first time there. We were declaring our love to each other. The only difference was that I was older and I sparkled in the sun just like him.

It was so realistic. I could even feel his cold fingers caress my skin. And I could feel the cold, hardness of his kiss on my forehead. I cold even smell his scent in my dream.

Sitting up in bed, I broke into sobs. How could I still hope after all these years?

I had to be crazy, utterly insane! Because I could still even detect the sweetness of his breath in my room.

Bailey's POV

The days passed and soon it was Thursday. Classes for the week was over and I still had not seen that mysterious, beautiful boy. He had not returned to class and I wondered if he dropped it.

I hated to wonder that he had not shown up because of me.

Right now I was packing up a few of my belongings for returning home for the weekend, because it was my moms birthday party on Saturday.

I was very grateful to get away from my annoying roommate.

My fever returned also. I didn't understand it, but I was hot! I didn't feel sick, so it was a mystery. I often wondered if it was genetic, because my father was always naturally really warm too.

Ugh, I didn't know. But the important thing was I wasn't sick, and I was going home!

Grabbing all my bags for the weekend, I left the dorms, and went outside to get into my used Audi Coupe.

The drive back to Forks was long and boring, but thankfully I made it. Pulling into my driveway, I saw my mother waiting for me on the porch with a huge smile across her face.

Sighing at her exuberance, I turned off the ignition, grabbed my bags, and made my way to the porch, where my mother ran out to me and gave be a huge bear hug, reminiscent of my father's. 

Tears sparkled in her eyes, and also worry as she let me go, suddenly as if burned.

"Hey mom," I responded, with a slight, confused smile.

It looked like she forced a smile this time. "Welcome home, Bailey! I've missed you!" She exclaimed, giving me another huge.

"Geesh, mom. I've only been gone a week," I replied, trying to breath from her vice tight grip.

She pulled back. "I know, but I still missed you. How was school?"

"So-so," I said, rocking my hand back and forth.

"Well, it will get better," she said, bringing me into the house. "Now how does dinner sound, and then cliff diving after?"

I rolled my eyes, good-naturally. "That sounds great!"

The weekend was pretty much the standard of my mothers birthday. We had a small get together with grandpa Charlie and Sue, my dad and his wife, Sara, and my step-brother Jamie, Sam and Emily Uley, Lindsey and Seth Clearwater, and Leah Clearwater. With my mom complaining over how everyone got her presents, and then eating a feast. However, something was different, out of the norm. Everyone kept giving me strange, expectant looks that disturbed the Hell out of me.

Bella's POV

"What are we going to do?" I demanded of everyone.

Everyone was gathered in the living room of my house. All of the pack and there mates and Charlie and Sue. It was Sunday evening and we were discussing my daughters fate.

"What do you mean? We have to wait," Sam spoke up in his deep steady voice. He was standing in front of the crowd with Jacob.

Jacob glared at Sam. "We can't just wait. Bailey is all the way in Seattle, and if she losses control, then someone could get hurt or wind up dead! You should know this Sam." He eyed Emily up and down.

"We have to make her leave," Charlie simply said, taking a stand.

"But how!" I bawled. "We can't just simply tell her the truth and expect her believe it and make her merry way home!"

"I agree," Quil said. "She would never believe it! I mean how many of us believed the legends until it happened to us! None."

Sam sighed. "We'll simply have to wait a week or two and figure this out. Make a excuse to get her home early."

Jacob started to shake. "What will happen if something triggers the change early?" He demanded.

"Then we'll deal with the consequences," I replied warily. "But I hope she'll be all right."

"She's right," Embry simply said. "We have to wait a week or two."

Leah stood up defiantly, with anger on her face. "But anything can trigger it! We all know that. Just a simply remake can set it off! When I changed I nearly took my moms face off!"

"She nearly did," Seth chuckled quietly, as Leah took a swipe at him.

Sam held up his hands. "This is a order. We will wait a week, two at the most before we make her come home." He sighed. "Now we need to discuss what set this off. No one's changed in nearly twenty years. Why now?"

"Obviously, bloodsuckers!" Jacob exclaimed, still looking out of control. Slowly I made my way to him, and put my hand on his shoulder to try to calm him.

"He's right," I replied. "There must be vampires in the area of the campus. That's the only way to explain this. Seattle's a big city. Dozens could be there." Something nagged at the back of my mind, wondering if maybe the Cullen's were there. But that was wishful thinking. They were probably all in Europe or Alaska. Far away from here.

"I read the paper religiously, and I haven't seen anything suspicious. No unsolved murders. Nothing," Charlie added.

"They could be cleaning up after themselves," Leah offered.

"Or they could be feeding off of animals, like the….um…Cullen's," Jacob said, looking at me unnecessarily in concern.

I shook my head. "No. It couldn't be. There's only two covens of vampires that are vegetarians, and one is settled in Alaska." I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the floor.

"Well, whatever it is," Sam began, "We need to keep a look out. We need to get Bailey home and we need to start patrolling again. Unfortunately we will need to patrol the outskirts of Seattle, so make yourself scarce. Any questions?"

No one spoke.

"Okay, meeting adjourned."

Everyone began to make leave, as I blankly stared out the window. What was happening to my little girl. No. I knew exactly what was happening to her. But why. What vampires were in Seattle triggering her change.

I couldn't help thinking of Edward and the Cullen's, but that was a very long shot. Surely they wouldn't make an appearance so close to where they left me?

A tear fell down my cheek, as I wondered why everything was becoming so complicated all over again.

**Thanks for all the reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7

Bailey's POV

Thank God, I was finally back at the dorms in Seattle. This past weekend had me crawling in my skin, and I didn't understand it a bit. Everyone this past weekend kept giving me these very expectant looks that disturbed the Hell out of me.

Now I was alone in my dorm in my pajamas and lying on my bed doing homework.

Everything seemed so strange.

Hearing the doorknob jostle, Shelley entered the room as I sighed, with a soda in hand.

"Oh, you're back!" She exclaimed in surprise. "How was your weekend?"

Glancing up at the ceiling, trying to think of the best way to describe it, I replied, "It was okay. Um….a bit strange."

"That sounds nice," she responded sounding distracted as she grabbed a book and headed back to the door, adding, "I'm going out. I'll be back later." And then she was gone.

Rolling my eyes, I said to know one. "Okay…but it's not like you really needed to tell me."

The next hour was subdued with the prospect of finishing my homework.

And then I went to bed.

I had strange, unnatural dreams that night.

I was running in the Hoh Rainforest in Forks. I don't know what I was running from, but I was terrified. I tripped and stumbled over deep embankments and upraised tree roots. It was one of those dreams you couldn't run fast enough in and I grew frustrated. Stumbling and falling, I heard a branch crunch not a foot away from me. Looking up through my tangled hair, all I could see was a tall chalky white figure baring it's teeth and growling, but before I could make out who it was, I was trembling. The shaking was like an earthquake, but it wasn't that, it was me. Suddenly I exploded in a sea of fur. Growling and snarling, baring my teeth, I lunged at the white figure…

Then I awoke in a bloodcurdling scream.

Panting, I shot straight up in bed. Sweat poured down my face, and I was unbelievably hot. Stifling. Lunging out of bed, I ran out of the room and straight out of the hall into the cool, refreshing air. The pouring rain felt good on my face, so I dipped my head back, with my arms out and took in the precipitation.

Suddenly a wave of nausea hit me, and I lunged to a nearby bush and emptied the contents of my stomach.

Hot and miserable, I fell to the ground to take in more of the rain.

I knew I wasn't sick. The hotness, and hyperventilation, and the nausea was all from my dream.

I didn't understand why I had that sort of reaction. I just hoped no one heard me.

Feeling better, about ten minutes later, I picked my self out of the mud and made my way back to the building. Frowning to myself I felt as if I was being watched, but I shook it off as a byproduct of the dream.

On my way to my room I prayed that no one would witness me.

I got my wish. Back in my dorm I found that even Shelley hadn't been back yet.

Grabbing a robe, I made my way to the floor bathroom. Once inside, I turned the tap of the shower on, but the water was hardly hot or warm. I turned the water on cold. I was still heated, and I couldn't get rid of it.

After my ice cold shower, I still wasn't even close to being cool. I realized that I could just run around naked outside in a blizzard and probably wouldn't feel the slightest chill.

Glancing at the watch I had set aside on the sink, I realized that my first class would be starting in about an hour. Combing my hair, I braided it quickly, and then I brushed my teeth, and headed back to my dorm room.

Back inside my dorm, I went to the window and opened it all the way, letting the cold wind breeze through my room. Laying on my bed, I closed my eyes. After settling down enough, I got back up to get changed.

I put on a pair of black jeans and a purple tank top and my favorite black sneakers.

That morning was pretty uneventful to be said. I went to Music Appreciation, and found once again, that that beautiful boy was still not there. And once the class ended, I couldn't even remember my terrifying dream.

Emerging from the music building, it had stopped raining, but clouds still lingered in the sky. And it was also muggy. Elated, I took my jacket off and went to a nearby tree that looked perfect to sit under. Laying my jacket on the soft, wet earth, I took a seat and pulled out a book and began to read.

After about an hour or so of reading, something blocked my light. Glaring up at the figure, I realized it was the beautiful bronze-haired boy, and choked, eyes wide.

Generally amused, he looked down at me with a crooked smile, and said in a velvet smooth voice, "Hello, my name's Edward Cullen. What's yours?"

Edward's POV

After my visit to Bella's house, I more or less curled up in a ball in my room at my family house outside of Seattle, and let the misery and self-loathing overtake me.

I couldn't believe how idiotic I was for going there. Now the wounds of our separation felt fresh. My dead, non-beating heart bleeding out, and creating another whole. If I could cry, I would be sobbing.

However, after a week, I realized that I had to suffer the consequences of my actions, and I picked myself up to go hunting. My throat was burning uncontrollably, and I didn't want to become weak or insane.

Leaving my room, to go hunting, I ended up with Jasper being a tag alone. I knew he wanted to talk but I wouldn't let him until I had quenched my thirst.

In the mountains, beginning my hunt, I let my senses overtake me. When my senses overtook me, I was lethal to anyone or anything that crossed my path.

Coming across a scent that I loved, I tracked down my prey. A mountain lion, quenching it's thirst in a nearby stream. Its tongue was lapping up the water greedily. Crouching low, a growl rumbled in my chest. Hearing my snarl, the lion looked up from its water in my direction and roared a high pitched warning to me.

I advanced upon it. But before the lion could run in fear, I had it on it's back. Sinking my teeth into it's neck roughly, I broke it's neck simultaneously, for causing the animal any unnecessary pain, and I drank. As I lapped up the warm blood from it's dead body, the burn in my throat soothed, and I could feel my eyes change color. Back to it's butterscotch.

Sucking the animal dry, I leaped back from it and controlled myself.

Feeling eyes on me, I saw Jasper leaning against a tree not to far away. His eyes were a light butterscotch also.

Growling, I walked past him, and he took up a pace next to me.

"I have something to say," he stated lightly.

I sighed. "I know you do. And I don't want to know, so don't even think it."

He glared at me. "I will say it. And I don't think it's too late."

"What are you talking about?" I leaped up on a tree branch and took up a seated stance.

"You know very well what I'm talking about," he replied. "Bella. There's still plenty of time to go back to her."

I glared up at the rising sun. "I can't expect her to want me again. After so long she doesn't need this kind of torment."

"Being without you is torment enough for her. You need to go back to her." And so he left.

But his presence stayed with me, as I considered his words.

Could I really go back? I knew she still loved me, but could I do it?

That night, I was back on campus, but not for school. For very different reasons. I was going to watch that girl who looked like Bella. I knew the fixation was wrong, it was sick, but it was a very different fixation then I had with Bella. I wanted to observe this girl. I wanted to see if she was also like Bella.

Oh God, this was so unhealthy!

But I needed to know more about her concealed mind. Why did the girl look like Bella, and also have a closed mind. I was curious.

Looking through her dorm window at her sleeping form, the old saying, curiosity killed the cat, entered my mind. I smirked.

But the smirk was for the fact that this was how I first examined Bella. I was curious. But this wasn't the same. At the time when I had watched Bella from afar and in her bedroom when she was sleeping, I knew I loved her. This was the exact opposite. I just wanted to witness more about this girl. I knew I could never love her. Bella was my soul mate, but that didn't mean I couldn't befriend the girl.

So unhealthy.

A bloodcurdling scream awoke me from my thoughts. Glancing in the girls window I saw it came from her. She shot straight out of bed and out the door. Creeping along the side of the building, I saw her lunge out of the building. She was panting with her arms wide out and her face upraised to the rain. She was cooling herself. After a minute of this, a greenish tint appeared under her dark skin and she jumped to a bush and emptied her stomach, and then fell to the ground, breathing roughly.

She laid that way for a short while and then stood and ran back into the building.

I was perplexed as to what had happened.

Chuckling under my breath, I knew I needed to know this weird human. I decided I was going to introduce myself sometime today, yet I wasn't going to go back to class. I'd ambush her somewhere.

Turning around, I disappeared, leaving no mark of my ever being there.

--

HaHa, cliffhanger, I know! But I will update again tomorrow! Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews. Don't worry about me stopping this story though. I have many ideas for it, and I expect it to be very long. If you have anything you want me to add in this story, tell me and I'll see what I can do! Thank You!


	8. Chapter 8

Bailey's POV

… "Hello, my name is Edward Cullen. What's yours?"

Eyes wide, a bit dazed, I was wildly confused. Why was this beautiful boy talking to me? More importantly, why was he talking to me when he hated me? Why else would he have ran away from me that day in class? Unless I misinterpreted it?

"Oh, um…my name is Bailey Black," I responded, hesitantly.

A crease appeared on his forehead, but it was gone so fast I could have imagined it. He smiled crookedly that left me breathless, and asked, "May I sit?"

"Uh, sure, sure," I said, as he took a seat on the grass on my right. He sat an unreasonable distance away.

I was suspicious.

He was gazing at me with a frustrated look, as he shredded a piece of grass with his long pale fingers. His silence infuriated me.

"What do you want?" I asked, a bit rudely.

Edward chuckled under his breath and simply said, "I just wanted the company."

His breath blew in my face and I was momentarily dazed. Shaking my head out of it, I responded, "Well, if you want company I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that will give it to you."

"I guess you misunderstood me then. I want your company," he replied, emphasizing the word want.

"Why?" I asked, growing ever so frustrated.

"You fascinate me," he said, looking up at me through his eyelashes, his eyes smoldering. It dazzled me.

After a minute, I rolled my eyes, and resumed reading my book. After awhile I peaked to the right from the corner of my eyes and saw he was still next to me. Setting down my book I sighed.

"Okay, what do you really want?"

He chuckled again. "Nothing too particular. I just want to talk."

"Don't you have any friends?" I asked, exasperated. Closing my eyes and leaning back into the tree.

Silence rang through my ears. Looking back over at him, I saw a strange pained look on his face. Finally he answered, "No, not really." Then he turned his eyes to me, and asked, "Do you?"

I scowled. "Of course I do….just none here."

"Well, then what's wrong with us being friends?"

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Why was he being so persistent?

I sighed and said, "Nothing."

He smiled, flashing a set of perfectly white teeth. "That's great."

"Not to be rude or anything, but why does a guy like you have no friends?" I asked, frowning at him.

He brought his eyes to mine, and said simply, "Personal choice."

"Oh…okay…" I said uncertainly. Well that explains it then. Because a guy this beautiful would have people teaming all around him. Of course it was a personal choice.

"So what are your friends like where your from?" He asked.

"Um…well….I really only have one good friend at back home," I replied, finding I was telling a complete stranger my life. "Um…her name is Lindsey and she's pretty cool. She's the nicest person you'll ever meet. And she's really outgoing and smart. She just got married this past summer."

"Really? Lindsey got married this summer? How old is she?" He asked, sounding sincerely curious.

"Eighteen," I responded. "I know, young, right?"

He shook his head, "No. That's not young at all. I mean if you find the right person, then why should you wait?" He answered, sounding a bit sad. Shaking it off, he smiled at me again. "So do you have any siblings?"

"Um…I have a half brother named Jamie and a sister on the way. Jamie's three," I replied. "You?"

He chuckled. "Ah me. Yes, I do. You already saw them, of course. The first night on campus when we first saw each other. Two brothers and two sisters."

"Really?" I asked, finding that his life was more fascinating. "Tell me about them."

Most of the conversation went that way, though I was still deeply confused why this beautiful creature was even speaking to me.

Edward told me about his family. I found that his brothers names were Jasper and Emmett, and his sisters names were Alice and Rosalie. They were all adopted by a doctor and his wife by the names of Carlisle and Esme. I guessed Jasper and Rosalie were twins and they went by the last name Hale, and that Emmett and Alice, were his biological siblings.

He told me all this, but I sensed he was holding something back. He wouldn't delve too deeply into some subjects. I knew he was keeping some things as a secret. I wondered what it could be?

He also kept asking questions about my family and friends. Very direct questions.

Soon the conversation ended, and I realized the sky was growing darker.

"Aren't you cold?" Edward asked after a minute, eyeing me critically.

I shook my head. "Actually I'm feeling very warm. But I need to get going. I have some studying to do," I reluctantly admitted. I stood up from my spot, feeling the tension in my body as I stretched. I was sore from sitting in the same position for so long.

"Of course," Edward said, standing up fluidly. "I'll see you around." And he was walking away.

I stood still, watching his retreating form, feeling as if I missed something. Shaking my head, I picked up my jacket and bag, and made my way to my dorm.

Entering my room, I was still very confused. What did a guy like that want with a girl like me? Something at the back of my head was definitely nagging at me.

Edward's POV

Walking away from Bailey, I didn't know what to feel. The conversation I had with her was actually deeply disturbing to me. She seemed an awful lot like Bella. Her attitude and amount of rudeness in her was definitely elevated from Bella's. But she still seemed smart and quick witted.

However I felt guilty in using her in this way. Just because she resembled Bella in some way. I knew I was sick. A very disgusting animal in doing this to her, in using her in trying to reunite something in her that reflected my beloved, but I found I didn't care.

She was nothing but a human. Although Bella was a human also, and turned out to be my other half. My soul mate.

I loathed myself for thinking like this and acting upon this, but what other choice did I have? Leave Bella, and take away the reminders? Or clinging to anything that reminds me of her? It was a hard choice.

--

Okay, what do you think should happen? This is strictly a Bella/Edward story, but do you want Bailey to fall in love with Edward? Or do you just want to see them as friends? Either way, Edward will never see her as anything but a friend. But what do you think? Let me know! I can't decide. Thanks for all the reviews! They're awesome!


	9. Chapter 9

Bailey's POV

I couldn't keep Edward Cullen off my mind all night. I was so curious about him. What did he want from me?

Yes, he said that he wanted to be my friend. But why?

Questions about him flooded my mind and wouldn't leave me be.

Walking into my Music Appreciation classroom, I made my way up to my usual seat. Looking up, I saw Edward Cullen. In shock, I tripped up the stairs. Finally taking my seat, next to him, I felt my cheeks heat up.

Glancing over at him through my thick curtain of hair, simultaneously removing the headphones from my ears, I saw he was laughing.

Still chuckling, he commented, "Klutz-y, aren't you?"

I scowled at him. "So what if I am?"

He chuckled, as I turned away from him to put my iPod away, but before I could he touched my hand to stop me.

And his hand was cold!

He released my hand quickly. I glanced at him expectantly, but he had a peculiar look on his face. Maybe confusion? However, his expression changed. Within a millisecond he smiled and held out his hand.

"May I?" He asked.

"May you do what?" I asked, skeptically.

Grinning, he said, "May I see your iPod? I mean we are in a Music Appreciation class. I'm just curious on which music you like."

"Um…I don't really know," I said. I really didn't like people going through my stuff, especially my music.

"Please?" He turned his smoldering eyes to mine.

Dazed, I said, "Um…sure."

Reaching out, he snatched up my iPod. He was already browsing through the list, by the time my brain became unclouded. I mentally slapped myself, when I saw the corner of his lips pull up in a smirk.

"You have a lot of older music on here," he commented, still browsing.

I nodded. "Yeah, I like a lot of stuff from my parents genre. Alternative, Indie rock, Emo," I rattled off, slightly embarrassed.

He also nodded. "Hm…Muse, Tool, Linkin Park, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus…" he paused and smirked, "…Moonlight Sonata? Clair de Lune?"

I hung my head. "Let me guess, you don't listen to that type of music?"

"No, no, it's not that. I'm just impressed. Beethoven? Debussy?" He asked.

"Yeah," I responded. "I grew up with classical music. My mom plays it around the house. She's so avid she forced me into piano lessons. Fortunately, I love it. I get my alternative taste's from my dad." I surprised myself again for revealing this much.

He smiled crookedly at me. "If you like music this much, and I'm assuming you do," he gestured to the room, "then you should see my collection. It's pretty expansive."

I smiled back. "Sure, sure."

The professor called for our attentions at that time and started a movie of clips and scenarios on the projector.

Edward's POV

When the tedious class ended, I rose from my chair exactly at the same time as Bailey. She picked up her bag, flung it onto her back and began to walk out. I followed suit.

I was pretty surprised that this girl was a lot like Bella, but a more extreme Bella. Bailey was just as klutz-y as Bella, she experienced the same type of musical background as Bella, and had the same reactions and closed mind. It baffled me a bit.

Realizing I was following her, Bailey stopped short, "Oh!" She exclaimed.

"What are the rest of your plans for today?" I easily asked. Not wanting to leave the only reminder of Bella I had.

"Oh, um…nothing big planned. I was going to go back to my dorm and do homework and stuff," she replied, a bit surprised.

"Can I join you?" I asked, using the full force of my eyes on her. I also breathed my scent on her.

Her eyes clouded briefly, but then focused. She was a bit breathless, as she replied, "Uh…sure."

Walking next to her slow pace, her cell phone rang. Tripping in surprise, I caught her as she caught her cell phone. Flipping it open, she breathlessly answered, "H-Hello?"

Keeping her steady, I kept hold of her arm. I was looking upon her face as her eyes widen in delight. "Oh, hi dad!" And then her eyes widened in shock and fear. What was going on?

Her voice shook, as she answered something, "Okay, okay. I'll be right there." There was silence on her part, and then she added, "I'll be alright. Don't worry about me!" And then she flipped the phone shut, in a daze.

Confused, I asked, "What's going on?"

She turned up to me with tears in her eyes, and croaked out, "My mom's in the hospital. They say it's bad, they had to transfer her here to the city." And then she collapsed into me and started to sob.

Unsure of what to do, I wrapped my arms lightly around her and whispered consolingly, "Don't worry…everything will be fine. If you want I'll even go with you if it helps." I was very unsure of why I offered this, but before I could change my mind, she nodded into my chest.

--

Thank you, for all your wonderful reviews! Yeah this is a short chapter, but I promise the next one will be longer. And pretty soon you'll see some Edward and Bella!


	10. Chapter 10

Bella's POV

In my kitchen Tuesday morning, I was busy making breakfast for Charlie and myself. I had invited him over before we each had to head out for work.

Clicking off the stove, I went to grab some plates and the groaned. Standing straight, I rubbed my neck and then my temples. I had a headache. Again.

After a second, I bent back over to grab two plates. Setting them on the counter, I filled both of them up with blueberry pancakes.

Setting Charlie's plate in front of him, I brought my own to the other side of the table and sat down.

I groaned again, bringing my hands to my temples.

This time, Charlie noticed. "Are you alright?" He asked between bites.

Shaking my head, opening my eyes, I said, "Yeah. I just have a headache. I've been getting them a lot lately. Stress."

Picking up my fork, I began to eat.

Actually, for the last couple weeks, I've been suffering headaches and nausea. Though it was so sporadic that I didn't worry. It actually reminded me of when I was pregnant with Bailey, but that was impossible. I hadn't been with a man since my divorce.

Finishing our breakfast, I stood up collecting the plates. As soon as I had stood, I felt dizzy, but it passed. Moving to the sink, feeling very disoriented, I grasped the counter after putting the dishes in the sink to wash. I hung my head, trying to control my breathing.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Charlie asked. I heard the chair slide across the floor.

I nodded my head. Making to turn around, I was suddenly very confused. My eyes glazed over as I stared at the man.

"What's going one? Who are you?" I asked in a tremble before I felt my eyes roll back into my head.

I began to fall back, but before everything went black, I tensed up and began to shake uncontrollably, and all I could hear was a startled, alarmed voice yell, "Bella!"

Bailey's POV

I was sitting in the passenger seat of Edward's Mercedes. He was driving me to the hospital in Seattle where my mom was at.

I was so upset, for a few minutes that I didn't realize how fast he was going. In alarm I glanced at the speedometer. It read ninety miles per hour. From the look on his face, I could tell that he would have been driving faster if he could. However, I didn't object. I wanted to get to the hospital as fast as I could.

No one had any idea what was wrong with her, but we all knew it was serious since she had to be transferred. What I did know that they brought her in the early morning.

Pulling into the hospital parking lot and parking the car, I jumped out of the car and started to run as fast as I could to the emergency doors.

Edward kept an easy pace with me.

Running into the building, I stopped in front of a desk.

The nurse looked up from some paperwork with a bored expression on her face. "Can I help you with something?" She asked. Her eyes lingered on Edward.

"Yes," I breathed, annoyed. "My mom was admitted this morning."

She nodded, reluctantly turning away from Edward to her computer. "What's her name, dear?"

"Isabella. Isabella Swan."

She typed in the information and then told me where I could find her.

Muttering a thanks I turned on the spot in the direction she pointed out. I began to hurriedly make my way to the elevator. Noticing, Edward wasn't following me.

Whirling around, I found him frozen in a stance. He looked like a statue of Adonis. There was a strange look in his eyes. Fear, maybe?

"Are you coming?" I called to him anxiously.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he nodded. Knitting his brows together, he made his way to me.

Edward's POV

As soon as I entered the hospital, a wretched stench came to me. It smelled like wet dog.

Following Bailey to the counter, I tried to place the recognizable scent. A smell I remembered from long ago.

But before I could place it, a name escaped Bailey's lips. A very familiar name. A lost name.

Isabella Swan.

I forgot to breath. I froze. And then everything fell into place.

The reason why Bailey looked so much like Bella.

The reason why her mind was closed to me.

The reason why she had a tinge of her floral scent.

Bailey was Bella's daughter!

It was something I should have realized before. But I had been too naïve.

Everything clicked and I couldn't believe why I couldn't have seen it. I mean the girls last name was Black! The same last name of Bella's ex-husband!

Bailey's voice rang out to me and I realized she had already started to make her way to the elevator.

Suddenly, I remembered that Bella was sick, very sick and fear ached throughout my body. My beloved might die!

Nodding my head, I knew I couldn't avoid her no longer.

Following after Bailey to the elevators, I waited impatiently until it reached the floor we needed.

Bailey kept flashing me concerned looks, but I ignored them. I knew I must look positively frightening and frightened.

When the doors opened, Bailey fled out. Moving more slowly, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Carlisle's number.

I nearly forgot that he worked at this hospital and he was still on duty.

Answering on the second ring, he sounded annoyed. "Edward, I'm busy doing paperwork. Can we talk later?"

"Sorry Carlisle, but this is an emergency. I'm in the hospital right now," I said in a hurried, low voice.

"What's wrong? Why are you here?" He asked, alarmed.

"Don't ask questions. Just get to the third floor, neurology ward, right now! Bella's here," I ordered. Before he could respond, I flipped my phone shut, and waited.

After a couple of minutes, Carlisle emerged from the elevators.

"What's going on? Why is Bella here? More importantly, why are you here?" He asked, rushed.

I glared at him, thinking he was implying something. "Well, I came here with Bailey. You know I've befriended her. She found out her mom ended up in the hospital and I offered to go with her. And then when we got here she told the receptionist her moms name which turned out to be Isabella Swan."

Carlisle closed his eyes, and nodded. "Okay, I believe you." He opened his eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

"I would like you to take over her case. You have jurisdiction and you're the best doctor here," I stated, and then hesitantly asked, "Can you come with me to her room?"

I hated asking Carlisle to come with me. But I was terrified of what I might see, or how I may act.

Carlisle nodded. "I'll see what I can do," he said. "Now where is Bella?"

Turning around, I led him down the corridor. I stopped short as I came to the room. I avoided looking at Bella and instead focused my attention on Bailey, who was crying silently.

I knocked on the doorframe.

Startled, she glanced up and said, "Oh, there you are!"

"May I come in?" I asked.

She nodded, so I stepped in hesitantly, still not looking at Bella. But I knew it was her. Her scent of freesia overpowered me.

"Are you my moms doctor?" Bailey asked, eyeing Carlisle.

Carlisle shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm Edward's father, Carlisle, but I'm going to try to take on your mother's case," he said kindly. "Where's your father, Bailey?"

More tears slipped from her eyes. "I don't know. I haven't seen anyone since I got here."

Carlisle eyed me warily, before saying to Bailey, "I wouldn't worry. I'm sure he's either in the waiting area down the hall or in the cafeteria. Maybe you'd like to join them?"

Bailey nodded sadly, and left the room to go search for her family, but not before giving Bella a parting glance.

As soon as she left, Carlisle was at my side, speaking in a hushed voice. "There are werewolves here, Edward. They've been in this room. Who is Bailey's father?"

Suddenly, I realized that the wet dog smell I had noticed earlier was actually werewolf scent.

"Jacob Black," I answered, simply.

"A Quileute descendent? Well that explains it. But I though the werewolf gene died out? Either way, I better stick around here until they come back. They'll recognize our scent sooner rather then later and they'll track us down. I'll have to be here to negotiate some kind of truce." He said this mostly to himself, but continued to eye me warily.

"Good idea," I whispered.

Finally, I made my eyes look at Bella, and pain ripped through my body.

My Bella, my angel was unconscious in her hospital bed. Tubes and wires stuck out of her, feeding her medication. A heart monitor beeped, indicating her heart beat was regular.

She laid so helpless and pale.

My non-beating heart shattered into a million pieces. My beautiful Bella looked so fragile, even more fragile then before she was sick. She was as delicate as a butterflies wings.

Touching her hand softly, her heart rate accelerated. Scared, I quickly removed my hand. Slowly, her pulse returned to normal.

Slowly, but surely, I knew she knew subconsciously that I was here with her.

Kissing her forehead tenderly, I whispered, "Don't worry, my love, I will never leave you again." And then I broke down into tearless sobs.

Carlisle's hand appeared on my shoulder, consolingly.

After a few moments, I controlled my sobs and stood straight, just in time to feel the trembling in the floor, and hear a stampede of feet.

I growled, knowing what was coming. The wolves.

"What the Hell are you doing here, bloodsuckers?" Jacob Black growled. He was the first to make it to the door. He was shaking uncontrollably.

Without thinking, a snarl ripped throughout my chest, as I crouched protectively in front of my love. Baring my teeth, I readied myself for a fight.

--

HaHa. Can you guess what will happen next? I will update again tomorrow for all of you. How do you think Bailey will react to all of this? And what is wrong with Bella? Will Bella take Edward back? Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Reading them always makes me smile!


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, Author's Note time.

I've received a question about why Edward didn't see that Bailey was Bella's daughter. I just want to address this before any one else asks.

Okay. Internally Edward did know that Bailey was Bella's daughter. Yes, he is smart and I'm not downplaying his character. In his defense, he did know but refused to let himself dwell on the fact.

He didn't want to realize that Bella had such a fulfilling life, though it was consequently not so fulfilling. Edward didn't want to admit to himself that Bella married so soon after his departure, and had a daughter that quick. If he were to let himself see that it would have torn him apart further. Maybe so much that he would realize he couldn't live and head to the Volturi.

So, in conclusion. Edward did no internally that Bailey was Bella's daughter, but as a defense mechanism he wouldn't allow himself to grasp that.

Thank you all so much!


	12. Chapter 12

Edward's POV

Still positioned in a crouch snarling, Carlisle's sharp voice rang out, "Enough! Now is not the time!"

Coming out of it, I realized he was right. Easily, I came out of my stance and stood next to Bella.

"It's a good enough time as any," Jacob replied, though he controlled his shaking. "Why are you here?"

"I came with your daughter," I answered simply, glancing behind Jacob to see four other male werewolves and a female. Also among them were Charlie, his wife that I recognized from their wedding photo, a young girl that was Bailey's age, and older women with scars along her face, and Bailey was in the back with a clear look of confusion written across her face.

"Though I had no idea who her parents were until I came here."

"And I work here," Carlisle added. "So strictly speaking, you are on Cullen turf, so we will keep the peace."

Jacob glared. "I don't want any of you to be near her. Especially him!" He pointed at me in accusation. "He left her how long ago? Why should he care?"

"I know I left long ago," I replied. "But fate led me here. And the only way I'm leaving now is if she awakes and tells me to leave."

At that point I heard the thoughts of my family moving up the hall. I also heard the growls issuing from both the werewolves and my family.

In a calm, compassionate voice, Carlisle said, "I would like to take on Bella's case. I could help her better than any other doctor here. But, of course, I'd need your permission first."

"Over my dead body," Jacob hissed.

"Yes," Charlie said, raising his voice and breaking through the mass of werewolves. "I want Dr. Cullen to take her case. My daughter is dieing and he is the best doctor, hands down! I don't care about some petty treaty! The Cullen's never harmed any of us!"

I was deeply surprised to hear that Charlie knew about us, and actually, sincerely wanted us to help Bella.

A man that I read from the wolves mind was named Sam Uley, stepped forward. "No. We can't let them!"

Charlie stepped towards him with his finger out and his face turning beet red. "You have no authority over me or my daughter! I'm the only one who can say what happens to her."

"There must be some kind of compromise?" I said. Charlie glared at me. Obviously, I wasn't wanted.

"The only way, I'll let these leeches near Bella is if there is supervision at all times," Sam declared.

Carlisle nodded. "That sounds fair. However I feel there should be supervision with both sides. If one of you are in the room, I promise you will be supervised also so nothing funny happens. But when Bella wakes, I'm sure she'll tell us what she wants. Deal?" He stuck out his hand.

Reluctantly, Sam, Jacob, and Charlie shook his hand.

"Now, I must go," Carlisle replied. "I need to try to pick up Bella's case. I'm sure everything will be fine here? Excuse me." He made his way out, but not before the werewolves filed out to avoid any contact, giving a wider berth.

With a lingering glance at Bella, I also left the room to speak to my family. As I passed, Jacob glared, his eyes full of malice. "Don't worry, dog, you won't be getting rid of me. I won't leave Bella's bedside unless she tells me too," I growled my warning.

I made my way to my family. Their questions bombarded my mind, but I pushed them aside and blocked them.

"What's going on, Edward?" Esme asked, concern evident in her voice.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "Didn't Alice see Bella end up in the hospital?"

"I did tell them what I knew. But what's going on?" Alice asked, eyeing the herd of werewolves behind me.

"And what's that stench? It smells like werewolf, but it's way too strong!" Rosalie complained, stopping her intake of breath and wrinkling her nose.

I raised my eyebrows. "It is werewolf, but five of them, but there's more, a lot more," I answered, disgusted. I turned back to Alice, "So what did you see?"

"I just saw you at the hospital with Bella. It looked like Bella was sick, and then it all disappeared." She frowned, glancing at the werewolves in worry. "So what happened?"

"Why didn't you see Bella get sick?" I asked, desperately, ignoring her question.

"Sickness isn't a decision, Edward," Alice impatiently explained. "Now tell us what happened!"

I sighed, distressed. "Bella is very sick. They brought her in a few hours ago. They've been running a whole bunch of different tests, including an MRI, I heard it inside another doctor's mind. Obviously it could be neurological. I guess she had the symptoms of it being neurological. But I'm hoping it isn't serious."

"Why are you here, though?" Emmett asked, setting a hand on Rosalie's shoulder. His nose was also wrinkled in disgust.

"I didn't know. I came here with Bailey. It turns out Bella is her mom," I replied.

Rosalie glared. "And why didn't you leave?" She hissed.

"I found that I couldn't and I'm not leaving now," I honestly replied. "But we will have to be on our toes around the wolves. I'm sure you heard everything at the end?"

They nodded in understanding. I turned to Jasper.

"Jasper, we may need you here to keep everything calm. Do you think you can handle that?" I asked.

Jasper still had problems controlling himself, though he was better at it then before. And it will be harder at the hospital. His eyes were a light topaz in color, so I hoped he was up to it.

He had recently fed.

Determination lit his eyes as he said, "Yeah, I can handle it for a couple of days at least."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

Esme stepped forward, wrapping her arms around me. In my ear, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Edward. But I'm so glad you decided to stay!"

All I could do is nod.

Suddenly an angry voice broke out behind me. "What the Hell is going on!" Turning around I saw Bailey standing in between the vampires and the werewolves, addressing us all. Realization hit me that she witnessed everything. Everything we said and did, and now Bailey needed an explanation. But I would never give her one, that was her father's rightful place. I wondered why no one every told her anything?

--

Okay, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! I love them! Sorry this chapter was so short, but that's all I could write last night. I'll post again tomorrow. But I had a thought, and I'd like to know if would appreciate it. I was thinking of posting a chapter from all of the Cullen's point of views concerning Bella, ie, talking to her while she's unconscious. If you'd like this chapter, let me know. Also it would be from every Cullen's perspective of Bella. Either way, I may add the chapter after Bailey's explanation. Thanks again for the awesome reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

Bailey's POV

"What the Hell is going on?" I repeated angrily, facing my father and my grandfather. We were at a nice hotel. Obviously, what they had to tell me wasn't suitable for the hospital.

"What was going on back there? Why were you fighting with my friend and his father? Who is a doctor!" I screeched at them. Heat was rising in my face. I was infuriated and frustrated. I began to shake in rage.

Charlie stepped forward to comfort me, but Jacob held his arm out, holding him in place.

"I'm not going to ask again!" I warned.

Jacob held his hands out. "Why don't you just take a seat and calm yourself down?" He suggested, warily.

"Screw you!" I spat, surprising even myself at my language. My eyes went wide and I slapped my hand over my mouth.

"Calm down, Bailey," Charlie warned.

I glared.

Jacob sighed. "Okay, we'll explain."

I nodded for him to go on.

Jacob sucked in a deep breath. "Actually," he began, "you already know everything," he sighed. "Of course, you do know about our legends and the treaty, right?"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Where was he going with this?

Finally, I rolled my eyes. "Yes…" I replied, uncertainly. "Of course, I know all the stories."

Jacob rubbed the bridge of his nose and then his forehead. "Bailey," he began, "All the stories are true."

My eyes widened in shock. Was my father completely unhinged?

"What are you talking about? How can you believe these stories?" I demanded.

"I know from experience, Bailey," Jacob insisted. "Werewolves and vampires exist!"

"It's true," Charlie chimed in. "I found out a long time ago and I'm still shocked."

"Are you guys completely unhinged?" I yelled.

My dad stepped forward, his expression intense. "Just calm down."

I slumped onto the bed. Could they possibly believe all this? It seemed so unreal. I felt hot and tensed. Breathing in and out, focusing, I decided to humor them, though I didn't believe.

Hesitantly, my father spoke. "Okay, Bailey. I'd like to discuss everything that happened at the hospital."

I couldn't help but laugh hysterically. In between breaths, I said, "Sure, sure." I didn't understand why I was laughing though it made sense to. Maybe it was my brain allowing me to grasp everything that happened today? Slowly, I regained composure.

Jacob eyed me disapprovingly, for a moment, but understood I was just trying to cope with everything.

"Well, at the hospital we were discussing the treaty," Jacob said.

Curiosity won out. "The treaty? Why?"

I couldn't deny that something intense happened at the hospital.

Jacob took a deep breath. "Because we made the treaty with them."

"You mean with their ancestors, right?" I pressed.

"No, Bailey, no," Charlie said. "The treaty was made with the very same Cullen's."

I covered my face with my hands. "Okay, I don't understand."

My father stepped towards me and put his hand on my shoulder. "The Cullen's are the very same who made the treaty. They are the Cold Ones. Vampires."

"You've got to be kidding me!" I cried.

"Just listen," Charlie commanded.

I sighed, but a question came to me. "Okay…so why won't they leave? Not that I mind."

Jacob glared, while Charlie sighed. "When Bella was your age, she had a…relationship with the Cullen's." He paused, uncomfortably. "Especially with Edward. Um…they were in…love. And then Edward left her with the rest of his family 'for her own good.' Bella told me that the reason he left was because he thought he brought too much harm her way. And he wanted her to live a life she wouldn't have with him." He paused, again, frowning. "And I guess now he won't be leaving with the…circumstances."

Illogically, I started to get angry. I was so confused. Why were they lying? I couldn't grasp this. Nothing seemed real! Jumping up from the bed, I started to pace. I balled my hands into fists and brought them to my head. I felt like I was going to explode!

Vaguely, I heard Jacob's commanding voice, "Run, Charlie, get out of here! Now! Before she phases!" A second later I heard the door slam.

What the Hell?

My body filled with pressure, tension. My body was shaking uncontrollably, and then suddenly, I exploded in a sea of fur. A growl ripped through my chest.

--

Another chapter down, granted it was short. I will be posting another chapter on Thursday. Sorry it won't be tomorrow, but the next chapter will be a dozy. It will be all the Cullen's POV's concerning Bella, and there thoughts and feelings concerning her, so it should be pretty long. I hoped this chapter was good. At first I had her believing them, but I thought it was better with her being in denial. Well, soon enough she'll really know the truth! Thank you for all your very wonderful reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

Alice's POV

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Bella in the hospital bed, unconscious.

I was standing next to the bed, Jasper was in the corner sitting in a chair, and a werewolf was gazing through the glass wall, on edge.

Stroking Bella's hand I gave her a soft tiny smile. Wishing I could know what would happen to her. But like I said before, 'sickness isn't a decision.' I just hoped she would be okay.

I couldn't believe how much she changed! But it made me sad to see her older. If I would have had a choice, I would have come back and offered her a place in my world. If I could I'd do it now.

Peeking out the corner of my eye at the werewolf, I knew there was no way I'd get away with it. Sure we were stronger, but with what Edward said, we would be outnumbered.

Sighing, I leaned over and kissed her cheek, whispering, "You're still my best friend, you know?"

Straightening up, I walked over to Jasper with my hand outstretched. He softly grasped it, while we stared intently and lovingly into each other's eyes.

Rosalie's POV

I didn't know what to feel towards Bella. In the past I conspicuously showed her I disliked her, but how could I dislike her now?

She's still human. She's lived her life. She was older, had been married, and even had a daughter. She lived.

But I was still jealous. Bella had so much more than I ever would have. Even her, lying here sick and dieing she had more.

I could never die.

Something stirred in me. It took me awhile to comprehend it, but it was there.

Pride. I was proud of her. She lived, when she could have easily taken her life in the beginning, after he left. But she lived!

Staring down my nose at her, I unemotionally said, "I'm proud of you," and whirled around and swiftly left the room, ignoring Jasper's questioning eyes.

Emmett's POV

"Hey, little sis," I replied, as I approached Bella's bed.

It was weird to know I still thought of her that way. My little sister. I never told her that, but it was true.

I felt like her big brother, even now. And I had missed her company. She had always made me laugh with her unusual human ways.

Seeing her so fragile in her bed, I was afraid to even touch her in case I broke her.

Deeply upset, I hid my emotion well on my face, but I knew Jasper would feel it.

I didn't understand what could do this to her?

Esme's POV

I clasped Bella's hand. The hand of my long lost daughter. A daughter who should have joined our family a long time ago. I had mourned for her loss.

Just the thought of mothering her filled me with joy.

Now all I could do was pray that she would be alright. I also prayed that Edward would indefinitely stay this time. But I didn't think I'd have to worry.

However, a mother's job is to worry. I didn't want to see Edward hurt again.

Staring down at Bella a new fear overwhelmed me. What if Edward lost Bella?

I bowed my head in compassion and said, "Please make it through Bella. For all are sakes."

Jasper's POV

I was now alone in the room with Bella. I was still sitting in the far corner of the room. I didn't trust myself to get closer.

The hospital was already getting to me even with the washed out smells of bleach and anesthetics.

I itched to stand closer to her, but I didn't.

Even with her unconscious, I felt an array of emotions coming off her. I wondered if she was dreaming? Fear, happiness, panic, confusion rippled through her sporadically and I was growing more and more uncomfortable.

Trying to do my part I sent waves of calm and comfort her way.

I was perplexed on what was going on inside her, but I knew I needed to help her more.

Standing up, I slowly made my way to her. Hesitantly, I brought my hand to her shoulder and sent more waves of calm to her.

Under my breath, I whispered, "Don't worry, Bella. I'll help you." And I knew I would.

I knew how distant I was from Bella, but I did care for her. I was only trying to protect her.

Carlisle's POV

Standing over Bella's bed, I observed her charts on my clipboard. The results weren't in yet, but we did know it was a malfunction in her brain.

I had successfully taken over her case.

Looking over Bella, I knew her condition wasn't good. Unfortunately she wasn't awake yet. It was past midnight. The drugs in her system were keeping her asleep. A bandage was wrapped around her head.

Her condition wasn't good, and I wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. It would be too much waste.

Bella had so many ties in her life. She had a family, friends, and a daughter who needed her.

Under my breath, I whispered, "I'll do anything to save you." And I knew I would, even if I had to change her myself.

Beeper going off, I quickly glanced at it.

The test results were in.

Edward's POV

"I promise, I'll be with you forever," I breathed, kissing the soft, translucent skin of Bella's forehead.

Bella's POV

Confusion rang through me. It corrupted my very being.

Darkness closed in upon me, and I knew I was down the rabbit's hole.

Images flowed through me in rapid succession. I was looking through the looking glass.

Running through a dark forest, the colors were vivid and beautiful, a bright green. I had no idea what I was running from, but fear and panic ran through my veins, pumping my heart with toxins. I tried to pick up speed, but I was dreadfully, frustratingly slow. Something was chasing me, getting closer. All hope was lost when a pale hand caught my shoulder. Whirling around I screamed.

Everything faded to black.

Waves crashed against the jagged rocks of the shore. White foam coming and going.

I was walking down a wet, sandy shore with my daughter, though tension was palpable in the moist air.

"How could you not have told me?" Bailey asked, tears glistening in her black eyes.

I frowned. "You didn't need to know."

She looked out at the sea, beginning to shake. "I'm your daughter, I had the right to know!" She said with gritted teeth.

"Precisely," I said, "You are my daughter and you don't need to know everything about me. That time was the best and worst of my life. You don't need to know that about me."

"How dare you!" Bailey yelled. "Your trauma affected me too!" She shook uncontrollably and then exploded into a wolf, bringing a claw down upon me, scraping my hard skin.

Baring my teeth, I hissed and then attacked.

Everything faded to black.

Sitting in a bed, I realized I was in my old room at Charlie's. I felt young and carefree. Whole and blissfully happy.

Glancing around the room, I saw Edward sitting in the old rocking chair in the corner.

Smiling, I said, "What are you doing here?"

He smiled that crooked smile I loved. "Watching over you, love."

"Come over here," I ordered. "Sit with me."

Edward sighed and then sauntered to me. Taking a seat next to me on the bed, he wrapped his cold granite arms around me.

His arms comforted me. I closed my eyes in bliss taking in his sweet smell, and then opened them again to find him staring hungrily at me.

"Do you realize how beautiful you look right now?" He asked, and then grinned, "Even in your holey pajama's." He kissed my forehead, and then brushed his lips down my eyelids, cheekbone, jaw, and throat. He kissed the base of my throat. Taking in my scent he murmured, "Absolutely tempting."

My heart fluttered in my chest. I gasped for breath and said, "It's been so long."

He smiled sadly, as I stared into his topaz eyes. "I know," he said. "But I'm here now and I'll never leave again."

"I love you," I replied, tears filling my eyes. I stroked his pale cheek.

Shivering, he said, "I love you. Every day of forever I'll always love you."

Bringing his lips to mine, his kiss was intense and passionate. His kiss hard. Gasping, I brought my arms around him and threaded my fingers through his hair.

Groaning, Edward pulled away. "You're tired, you need your sleep," he said, pushing me down into the bed, my head landing on the pillow.

"I don't need sleep," I yawned. "You're here with me now. I want to savor this. Plus how could I possibly sleep when your here?"

"You sleep all the time when I'm here," he reminded me. "Don't worry, love. I'll be here when you wake," he whispered in my hair, wrapping his arms around me, stroking my hand with his thumb.

"Do you promise?" I asked, yawning again, my eyes growing heavier.

"I always promise." He began to hum my lullaby as I drifted.

Everything faded to black.

The sun was bright and glorious. It warmed my skin.

I was laying in the grass with Edward in our meadow. I laid in the crook of his arm. He was slightly on his side, watching me savor the sun. His arm that was wrapped around me stroked circles onto my skin. It felt marvelous.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, sounding slightly frustrated.

Opening my eyes, I met his with a smile. "Nothing in particular," I answered, teasingly.

"Bella," he scolded, "don't do that. Please tell me what you're really thinking?" His eyes smoldered.

I gasped for air as he dazzled me. "I was thinking that I wanted to be with you forever," I replied honestly. "What are you thinking?"

He grinned, flashing me his brilliant white teeth. "The same thing you were."

Pulling me up, I crossed my legs in the long grass. He pulled his arm away from me.

"Hey," I protested lightly. But I didn't mind too much. I was watching his pale chest sparkle in the sun. Millions of facets of light sparkled rainbows into the air.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, sounding slightly nervous and desperate.

"Anything," I breathed.

Suddenly he had my hands in his.

"Isabella Swan?" He looked up at me through his impossibly long lashes, his golden eyes soft, but, somehow still scorching. "I promise to love you forever--every single day of forever. Will you marry me?"

My eyes went wide in shock. Tears sprang to my eyes. Nodding, I whispered, "Yes."

He had already slipped a golden diamond ring on my left hand.

"Thank you," he said simply, emotion in his eyes. Taking my left hand, he kissed each of my fingertips before he kissed the ring that was now mine.

Happiness sparkled in my eyes. Wrapping my arms around him, I whispered, "I love you forever."

Taking my face in his hands, he gazed longingly into my eyes before he brought his lips to mine.

Everything faded to black.

Walking down a cold stone corridor, I found myself afraid. I didn't know where I was or what I was doing, all I knew that something was about to happen.

Groping the wall in the darkness, I heard screaming in the distance. Bloodcurdling screams, that made me gasp.

What was happening? Where was I?

Continuing to walk down the hall, I saw something in the distance.

Picking up speed, I thought it was my love, but when I was not a few feet from them, I saw three papery white faces, that looked fragile yet frightening.

"Welcome home, Bella," one said, and then I screamed knowing my doom.

--

How was it? I love the dream sequence! I gave you a taste of Bella and Edward and things that could have been and still might occur.

No copyright infringement intended. I only used those parts to demonstrate was could have been.

I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow! You'll see what's going on with Bailey and what is really wrong with Bella. Some decisions need to be made….

Anyway, thanks for all the awesome reviews! I enjoy them a lot! Keep it up!


	15. Chapter 15

Bailey's POV

I was laying in the hotel bed, mentally exhausted and scared.

I was alone now.

My father had just left to go to the hospital. He promised me I could go in a couple days, when I have at least a better control of my condition.

Tears slipped from my eyes. I didn't bother to wipe them away.

It took me hours to get calm enough to change back. And now I understood everything.

Everything I was trying to deny, happened to be true.

When I had changed, my father changed with me and continued to tell me the truth with his thoughts. There were other thoughts there too. I now knew that were the voices of the other wolves.

They were gone now.

And I knew the truth.

I was so confused. And so hurt. Hurt that no one told me this sooner. Hurt that my mother never trusted me enough to tell me about her past relationship with Edward. Hurt no one told me that werewolves were real. My very father and closest family were wolves!

I was also worried. Worried about fitting into society now. Would I be a constant danger? I'd always have to be on guard. And would Edward even want to be my friend again?

I shouldn't think about that. How could he want me as a friend? How could I want him as a friend? We're mortal enemies now. Plus he probably only used me, because he was reminded of my mother.

I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs! Everything was so messed up. My life was ruined. I couldn't go back to school now, I was a mythical monster, and my mother was sick and I couldn't even see her!

I felt miserable and dead. All I wanted to do now was run away and never come back. To leave my life behind, but I was too exhausted to even move a muscle.

Edward's POV

It was morning and I was at Bella's bedside. She was still unconscious. My head was bowed as I contemplated what I'd do.

I was definitely going to stay with Bella. How could I leave her now? But I kept thinking of the worse. What if Bella was dieing? What would I do then? I couldn't spend eternity without her.

The results should be definite soon, and I counted down the seconds. To ease the time I hummed Bella's lullaby.

I could feel my eyes become blacker with the tick of the clock. I was growing thirsty, but I wouldn't allow myself to move from my spot. Despair ran through my dead dried up veins.

"Edward, can you come to the waiting room with me?" Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts.

Turning my head to look at him, I asked, "Why?" But I found the answer in his head. The test results were in, but he kept his mind blank other then that. His lips were pursed.

My eyes widened at his expression. With a lingering glance and a kiss I left Bella's room to go to the waiting room. It was pretty much packed.

Through the day I came to know everyone's name. Wolves and vampires alike were congregated there. My entire family, Charlie, Jacob, Sue, Seth, Leah, Lindsey, Sam, Emily, Embry, and Quil. I noticed Bailey wasn't to be seen.

Upon our arrival, they looked up at Carlisle expectantly. Tension was palpable in the air. Everyone stood as Carlisle stopped in front of them. I stopped a short distance away, afraid of what I might hear.

"The test results are in," Carlisle began. "Ms. Swan has Glioblastoma multiform."

My mind went blank when I heard that. I knew exactly what that meant but I was too numb to respond.

"What does that mean?" Charlie's voice rang out in a panic.

"Bella has a brain tumor," Carlisle explained.

Jacob took a step forward. "Well that's operable isn't it?"

Carlisle nodded. "Normal brain tumors are operable, but this one is not." He was trying to sound professional, but I caught pain flash through his mind.

"Is there treatment?" Charlie asked, his voice cracking.

"There is treatment," Carlisle began, "Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, even surgery to some extent, but treatment can damage the brain more and drugs cannot help."

Esme walked through the crowd with pain in her eyes. "What can be done then?"

"Nothing."

There was a collective intake of breath, and then the yelling started.

"There has to be something?"

"We can't just leave her like this!"

"I'm not going to sit and watch my daughter die!"

Sam's voice rang out the loudest. "How long can she make it in her condition!?"

Breaking out of my reverie, I yelled, "Shut up!" At the top of my lungs. Everyone fell silent.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "In her condition she only has a few months left, at most."

"What do you mean a few months!" I roared. "I can't lose her now, I can't, Carlisle! Find a way and fix it!" At that point the unthinkable happened for a vampire, I fell to the floor.

I was stunned. Glancing up I was in a fog. Tears were running down everyone's faces, embracing each other. Charlie had collapsed into a chair, his hands covering his face. Jacob punched a wall.

I couldn't take this. I just couldn't. Leaping to my feet, I ran out of the hospital at vampire speed. I ran until I was on the outskirts of town, in a forest I frequented when thirsty.

I heard someone following. Surely someone sent someone to follow me so I didn't do anything stupid.

Stopping with a jolt, I punched a thick tree, yelling, "Damn it!" The tree gave a loud pop and fell to the forest floor.

I was in a ragging fit. I continued to punch and kick trees and shrubs and rock faces. I roared continuously. Grabbing my head, I didn't know what to do.

What was going to happen now? My beloved Bella was dieing. Surely there was something to be done about it. But what?

"Will you calm down, Edward?" A lilting small voice asked. I looked up to find Alice.

"How could I calm down? Bella is going to die! Do you understand that?" I roared at her.

She nodded. "I completely understand, Edward. But there is still hope."

"What hope is there?" I asked, and then saw it in her mind. "No, I'll never do that to her! Never! She'd never forgive me!"

"It's the only chance, Edward. It's the only way to ensure that she is alive," Alice replied, calmly. "She's going to wake up soon. And soon she'll know her condition. Surely she'll want it after all this time! She has a family who needs her. She can't die and I don't think she'll allow herself too!"

I advanced on her. "This is not living, Alice!"

"If it's the only way to keep her, would you do it?" She asked.

I shook my head. I didn't know. I don't want to be selfish. But I was an eternally selfish creature. Could I do this to her?

Suddenly, I caught flashes in Alice's mind of Bella. Pictures of her being well. But she was different. Pale and more beautiful then before. Her eyes a brilliant red.

A smug smile appeared on Alice's face. "I thought so," she replied. "Now go out and hunt, you're thirsty. Bella will be awake soon and I know you want to be there when she does."

--

This chapters pretty rough, but I didn't really know what angle to go at with this part. Either way, questions were answered and I hoped you enjoyed it.

Yeah, I know I said I was posting the next chapter tomorrow, but I got bored so I was like what the heck might as well post it! Either way I'll have another ready for tomorrow.

The next one will have Bella waking up and finding out about everything and discovering Edward. So stay tuned!

Thanks for the wonderful reviews!


	16. Chapter 16

Bella's POV

Eyes flickering open, the lights burned them. Closing them, I heard a beeping noise next to me. It was a sound I was familiar with. A heart monitor.

Twitching my fingers, my head hurt. It felt as if someone smashed a hammer into it.

The smell of anesthetics burned my nose.

I was in the hospital. What happened?

Opening my eyes again to the bright artificial light, I blinked them several times to see clearly.

Groaning, I heard a rustle to my right. Turning my head weakly in the direction, I lost my breath.

Edward was sitting next to my bed. He was even more beautiful then in my dreams. He looked exactly the same as the day I first saw him. Disarrayed hair, butterscotch eyes. But his mouth was turned down and I detected sadness in his eyes.

But I had to still be dreaming. I wasn't awake yet. There was no way Edward would be here. He has been gone for so long.

"Good morning," Edward said in his velvet voice I missed.

I turned my head away. "I must still be dreaming," I murmured, my voice hoarse. "There's no way you're actually here."

He took up my hand, his cold hands brought a shiver through me. "I am here, Bella," he said.

I turned my head to look at him still not convinced. "Why?" I asked.

"I came with your daughter Bailey. Of course I didn't know you were her mother at the time, but when I found out you were, I stayed," he replied.

I frowned. That wasn't his typical answer in my dreams. Then something occurred to me. My daughter. Where was she. In a panic I sat up painfully, and looked around. "Where's my daughter? Where's Bailey?"

Edward pushed me back down into the bed gently. "Don't strain yourself, love. Bailey is at a hotel sleeping," he replied, lightly.

"She is?" I asked. The dream I had about her floated in my mind, causing me to panic again. "How is she?"

Edward bowed his head. "She's seen better days," was all he said.

"I don't understand? What's going on?" Tears filled my eyes, as my chest rose and fell rapidly.

He stroked my hand. "You're in the hospital in Seattle. You had a seizure yesterday morning. But don't worry yourself." He explained.

That's when it all came rushing back. I was having breakfast with Charlie when I started to feel a headache and I was disoriented, confused. And then everything went black.

"Carlisle will be here in a bit, to explain what happened," he said. "Don't worry yourself. You need your strength."

All I did was stare at him. What? Carlisle was here? What was going on? This couldn't be a dream. It was way to realistic. The sights and sounds and smells were way to realistic. I never dreamed of Edward being so perfect and his scent was breath taking, definitely not something I could have dreamed up. And the thing I noticed right away was that I didn't feel the hole in my chest anymore.

The tears escaped my eyes. I gazed deeply into Edward's eyes, searching. "You're really here, aren't you?"

He nodded. "I am, love." He still had my hand in his.

"Why?" I asked again.

"I couldn't keep myself away," he responded.

I was suddenly angry. "But you kept yourself away for twenty years! What do you think your doing? Are you here to torture me? I mean I've never stopped loving you, Edward! I dream of you every night! Why?" I wailed. I covered my face with my hands, and sobbed. The effort made my head throb.

Pulling my hands away from my face, Edward said, "Please don't cover your face. I've spent far too long not seeing it's beauty."

"You don't love me, why are you here?" I asked again.

"Bella, what I said in the forest that day was the blackest type of blasphemy," he responded, pleadingly. "I've always loved you, and always will."

"You…love…me?" I asked. "Then why didn't you come back sooner?" I wiped the tears away, angrily.

"Yes, Bella. I do love you. That could never change," he said, and then continued, "And I did come back. After your graduation I came back to check on you. I wanted to see if you were happy, or moving on with your life. And from what I saw, you had moved on and I couldn't bear the thought of turning your life upside down again. And I came back a week ago. I was checking on you. And I saw what your life had become. You had been married and you had a daughter. I thought, I couldn't enter your life after that. You needed to focus on your daughter. But I didn't realize how much time had passed, and when I did, I didn't think you'd take me back."

He ended his speech. I tried to comprehend everything he told me. He came back? After graduation? He saw that I had moved on. Obviously he saw that I was with Jacob. But I hadn't moved on. I always kept a hope that he would come back, and now he had. Could I let him in again?

"Edward," I began, "You saw me living my life, but not for me. Never for me. I was trying to make everyone else happy. I went through life as a zombie for a long time. It took me everything to be able to laugh again. Jacob helped me with that. He was my sun, he parted the clouds perfectly. And I loved him, but if you would have come back I would have done anything to be with you again. You don't understand what it felt. You took a piece of my heart with you when you left."

Edward sighed at my words, and then nodded. "You took a piece of me with you too, Bella. You don't know how long it took me to just continue on with my life. I more or less curled up in a ball for years and let the misery take me. I guess I didn't see that you felt the same way. But you lived!" He exclaimed. "You had the life I would have wanted for you! You had a daughter, and you lived! You wouldn't have had that if you would have stayed with me. You would have been in constant danger! I couldn't have lived with myself you someone would have killed you. My family and I kept you in danger just by being by you!"

"I was still in danger, Edward!" I protested. "When you left the problems continued! Laurent and Victoria came back! They tried to kill me! But luckily I had the pack at my side! They took care of them! I was in constant danger! And more vampires came to Forks! I would have been better off if you would have changed me, Edward!"

"I could have never taken away your soul! You would have never forgiven me, Bella. Never!" He responded heatedly.

"People without souls could never love me like you used too! People without souls don't love and they don't repent, and they don't try so hard to keep the monster inside. All they can do is hate and kill and feel no remorse! That was never you, Edward. You have a soul, and I've seen it!" I protested. I saw something flicker in his eyes, but I didn't catch what it was.

Sighing, he resigned, and then said, "I do love you Bella, and if you could take me back after all this time, I'd be forever grateful. I can't live without you Bella. Will you take me back?" His eyes were pleading with me.

Eyes widening, I couldn't believe what was happening. And it wasn't a dream. It was reality. New tears formed in my eyes, as I said, "I could never say no to you, Edward. I've always loved you and hoped for you. You don't even have to ask, I'd always take you back."

He beamed and kissed my hand. I sighed with pleasure. The heart monitor began to beep rapidly.

"You're not leaving, are you?" I couldn't help but ask.

His expression was intense, "I'd never leave you, again. I love you, and now that you have taken me back I know for certain I could never leave your side again."

I smiled at his words. I finally had my Edward back, and I couldn't be any happier. But then I remembered I was still in the hospital.

"What's wrong with me?" I asked.

His eyes got sad and his mouth pulled down. "Carlisle will be in here in a little bit to explain to you. But before he does, I'm sure you'd like to see your other visitors?"

I groaned, as Edward chuckled, and muttered, "Things never change."

"Who's here?" I asked.

"A lot of people. Charlie is here, and Jacob, and some of the Quileutes, and my family," he replied.

"Your families here too?"

He chuckled again. "Yes. All of them, they've been waiting for you to wake up."

"Ugh, I don't think I can handle this," but as soon as the words escaped my mouth, the room started to fill up with everyone.

Everyone was smiling to see me awake but there was discomfort in there expressions. But I shrugged it off as being so close to each other. Charlie, Jacob, Sam, Emily, Sue, Seth, Leah, Lindsey, Quil, Embry, Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Esme entered the room. It was so full I started to feel claustrophobic. But I pulled on a weak smile, and talked to everyone. They wanted to know how I was feeling, such things as that. And then a faux cheerful atmosphere took hold of the room and everyone started to joke around. Some of the jokes were centered around my expense. Nothing ever changed there. Emmett was the worst at cracking the jokes at my expense though. It was hard to realize I hadn't seen the Cullen's in so long. It felt like only yesterday that Emmett was cracking a joke over my being a klutz.

Finally the room started to clear out. Alice and Edward were the last two in the room.

Winking, Alice said, "Once your better, we're going to go shopping!" And then she left the room. I groaned. Some things never change.

I yawned. I was exhausted, which was hard to believe on how much sleep I've had, but I made sure to keep my eyes open. All the visitors took everything out of me.

"Don't worry, love," Edward said in a soft voice. "Carlisle will be here in a minute and then you can get your rest."

I nodded. "Can you come lay next to me?" I asked. I longed for his arms to be around me.

He knitted his eyebrows together, obviously contemplating if it was a good idea. "I'll lay with you after Carlisle's visit."

At that moment, Carlisle came into the room with a fake smile on his face. That worried me. "How are you doing, Bella?" He asked.

"Fine," I responded. "My head hurts a bit though."

He nodded, already expecting my words. He sighed, pulling a chair next to my bed and sat down. "I need to tell you about your condition, Bella. But just remember there are options," he glanced at Edward.

I gulped, and nodded. My throat felt swollen. I was suddenly terrified.

"Bella, you have Glioblastoma multiform. It's a type of brain tumor," he explained.

No, no, no, no, no!

"Am I going to be okay?" I asked.

Carlisle sighed. "This form of brain tumor is very severe. We could do chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or even surgery, but all that would damage the brain further. And drugs won't help. I'm sorry, Bella, but you may only have a few months left."

I was in shock. I was going to die? I couldn't die! Not after being with Edward again. And I have Bailey! I couldn't leave her, she's only seventeen!

Tears began to run down my cheeks again, as I choked out, "I'm going to die?"

"It's your choice Bella. There is another option," Carlisle said. I felt Edward tense at my side.

"What is it? I'll do anything!" I exclaimed. "I can't leave Bailey!" My chest felt constricted.

Carlisle bowed his head. "I'm going to give you the choice to become one of us, a vampire."

I stared at him for a second in confusion and then blurted, "I'll do it! Do it now!"

"Bella, don't be rash," Edward replied. "You still have a few months. Think about it."

I nodded, but my decision was set. It's always been set. To spend eternity with Edward.

"Yes," Carlisle added, "Don't be rash. You're going to be released in a couple of days and if your decide this, then you need to make the proper arrangements. And you need to deal with the wolves. They won't be so kind as to let us change you. I think it would be your word alone that will convince them."

"Okay," I said.

Carlisle stood up. "Just give me a call if you need anything. You should get some sleep now." And he left.

I turned my head back to Edward. His expression anguished and intense. "Do you really want this?" He asked, gesturing to himself. Indicating his immortality.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. "I have no choice, now, Edward. It's either immortality or death. And I need to be here. I need you and I still need to take care of my daughter."

"I understand," he said.

I was puzzled. "You're not going to fight this?"

"No! How could I fight this now? I need you!" He exclaimed.

Smiling sadly, I patted the bed, and slid over. "Come lay with me," I ordered.

He obliged, and laid next to me. Tucking the blanket in around me so I wouldn't be cold, he wrapped his arms around me.

"Kiss me," I ordered.

Smiling my favorite crooked smile, he said, "Okay, but then you need to sleep." And then his lips were on mine. Hard and soft at the same time. My heart picked up speed and I gasped, wanting more, but Edward groaned and pulled away. "Sleep now, Bella, and dream happy dreams."

Closing my heavy eyes, he began to hum my lullaby.

Despite my prognosis, this was the happiest day of my life.

--

Okay, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I hope it's what you all wanted! I'll post another one tomorrow, or maybe even later today! It depends on how bored I am. Lol. Thanks for all your awesome reviews!

I'm not too sure what my next chapter will be, yet, but I have some ideas. Some things that Bella and Bailey need to know, so I'm thinking I'll go there, and the release of Bella. But I'm not sure yet. You'll have to wait and see.

Actually, why don't you all review and tell me what you want to see!


	17. Chapter 17

Bella's POV

It was my third day in the hospital. I was growing restless but I I needed to be observed. I was being released that night, however.

Talking to Edward at my side, I noticed Bailey standing in the doorway with anguish swimming in her eyes. I now understood why Bailey hadn't visited sooner. She had phased into a werewolf and now she knew all my dark secrets.

"Bailey!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms out as she walked into the room with an apprehensive glance at Edward, and a wrinkle in her nose. She came over and wrapped her arms around me. She was stifling back tears, as was I.

I gave Edward a look, which he understood. He quietly stood up and walked out of the room giving us privacy.

Pulling back, Bailey said, "I've missed you so much mom! I wish I could have been here when you woke up, but I'm assuming you know everything that happened?" She took a seat on the other chair next to my bed.

I nodded. "I know what happened. How are you holding up?" I asked, taking up my daughters hand.

She refused to look at me. "Not too bad. It's hard to imagine, it's hard to deal." She raised her head and asked, "How are you doing mom? I heard about your condition." More tears escaped her eyes.

I smiled. "I'm not too bad," I said giving a brave face for Bailey. "I'm getting released tonight. Will you be going home with me?" I asked, hopefully.

"I suppose I have to," she simply said. 

I patted her hand. "It'll be for the best, Bailey. I have things to discuss with you."

She nodded, wiping her tears away. "So Edward used to be your boyfriend, huh?"

"He was more then that, Bai. He was my everything," I replied.

"I don't understand, mom. How could you have loved a vampire, why did he leave you?" She asked, desperately, seeking out answers.

I sighed. "Honey, to me Edward wasn't just a vampire, he's a man, and a good one at that. His family and him aren't like other vampires. He doesn't feed off of humans, which I'm sure you noticed? You did hang out a bit, you were both making progress as friends. You know about the treaty. The Cullen's are good. Can you understand that and accept that?" I asked, hoping beyond the point that she would.

Bailey hesitated and then said, "I guess I can."

"Good. The Cullen's saved my life countless times. And the reason Edward left me was because he thought he brought more harm to me then good. And if he would have stayed I would have never had you," I said, bringing it to a positive light. It still hurt to talk about it. I squeezed Bailey's hand.

She gave a weak smile. "Why didn't you tell me about him?" She asked.

"I have no reason," I replied simply, "besides you didn't need to know."

Bailey furrowed her eyebrows in anger. She began to shake. "I'm your daughter I had a right to know!"

I shook my head. "Exactly why you didn't need to know. I am your mother, you are my daughter. There are some things I don't need to tell you."

Taking her hand away, she jumped up from her seat, to face away from me. Her arms were folded across her chest, continuing to shake. "I have a right to know now mom!" She cried.

"Yes," I agreed. "And I will tell you, but not now. I'll tell you when we get home, okay?"

Turning around, she nodded. "Okay," she replied. "I'm going to see dad now." Whirling around she left the room, as Edward came in again.

I sighed as Edward sat back down in his chair. Kissing my hand, I said, "There's so much that needs to be explained, and so much I need to do."

"I know, love," Edward said, "But everything will be alright soon."

I nodded, closing my eyes. "Distract me please?" 

Chuckling, he said, "What do you want me to distract you with?"

"Anything," I murmured. "Um…when do you think I'll be changed?" I gazed into his eyes.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure, really. Maybe once you have everything settled with your family?"

"Okay," I replied. "Uh…will you be the one to change me?" I lowered my eyes to our hands.

"If that's what you want, Bella." I detected sadness in his voice.

I beamed at him, "Of course, I do!"

Chuckling, he replied, "But first you need to do me a favor."

"What?" I asked, perplexed, searching his molten eyes.

"Later," he murmured, leaning over to plant a kiss on my lips that sent my heart soaring.

--

Hm….what will his favor be? Any thoughts?

Anyway, sorry this chapter is so short, but it seemed the appropriate time to cut it off. Don't worry I'll be uploading a new chapter tonight to follow this up. I'm hoping that is. If not, I'll be posting bright and early tomorrow morning! You'll have to see!

Thank you all for the beautiful reviews! I love them! I'm thinking of wrapping this story up within the next ten or so chapters, but no worries, I might be doing a sequel that only follows Bella, Edward, The Cullen family, and Bailey. It will definitely be Bella/Edward centric. I might also be doing a story on the key points in Bella's life, before Edward comes back in this story. Like falling in love with Jacob, pregnancy, marriage, that sort.

Thank you!


	18. Chapter 18

Bella's POV

I was finally home. Relief washed through me as I got ready for bed. I was in the bathroom that connected to my bedroom. Showering and blow drying my hair, I was fully dressed in my pale blue silk pajamas.

I was so glad to clean myself up and be in my comfortable pajamas rather then the hospital gown I had been forced into wearing at the hospital.

Feeling a bit shaky, I tried to remove the lid off the bottle of medication, I needed for the pain.

Appearing next to me, Edward offered out his hand. "May I?"

Sighing, I passes him the bottle. Running the tap, I filled a glass with water. Handing me a couple pills, he put the bottle in the medicine cabinet. Swallowing the pills, I said, "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit shaky from my conversation with Bailey."

"I understand," he said, sweeping me up in his arms and bringing me to my bed where he laid me gently down, pulling the covers over me. "It was hard for you to do."

I nodded.

When Bailey and I got home along with Edward and after we ate, I had a talk with her.

It was a very difficult conversation on both our parts. I explained to Bailey about Edward and mine experiences in our relationship so long ago. I explained how much I loved him and how he's going to be part of my life now. And I truly believed it now after much persuasion these past days. I had also had an epiphany a couple days ago. I told Edward about my hallucinations with his voice, and because of that I realized he really did love me.

We discussed my condition and her becoming a werewolf and how I found out about the werewolves. I also told her about my decision to become a vampire.

The conversation took a wrong turn at that point. Bailey got really emotional and it took awhile to calm her down so I wouldn't be in any danger, but she had a lot of self-control. I firmly explained to her that either she'll have to bury me in a few short months or she'll have to accept me as a vampire.

At that point she ran to her bedroom.

And I knew it would be very difficult. I mean, it was completely unheard of. A mother who was a vampire and her daughter was a werewolf!

I wasn't completely oblivious to the fact that it would be very hard to keep our relationship going. The scents between werewolves and vampires repulsed each other. I just found that out. It created an aversion to each other. But I was positive we'd find a way.

"Everything will be okay," Edward murmured trying to reassure me. He laid down next to me, wrapping his cold hard arms comfortingly around me.

"I know," I replied. Smiling over at him, I asked, "So can you tell me my favor, yet?"

"Oh," he breathed, moving slightly away from me. Regaining his composure, he grinned, flashing his brilliant white teeth. "No, not tonight. I want to tell you when your well rested. I'd thought I'd tell you tomorrow. Do you mind going to our meadow tomorrow? It'll be sunny?"

"Okay," I sighed, feeling slightly annoyed. What could his favor be? But suddenly I realized he was taking me to our meadow. I brightened at the thought.

Laying my head on his shoulder in contentment, I pondered things.

"Edward?" I asked, something occurring to me.

"Yes?"

I hesitated and then finally spat it out. "It's going to be so weird. I mean physically I look like I could be your mother. What would people think?"

He gazed down at me intensely. "Don't even think about that now, no how about ever? It doesn't bother me. I couldn't care less. I love you. And no human can could bother me with there thoughts about us."

"I love you too," I breathed, bringing my lips up to him and kissed him passionately. I twined my fingers through his beautiful bronze hair, not wanting to let go.

"Be reasonable, Bella," he replied, pulling away from me.

"No," I firmly said. "I want you Edward."

"We can't!" He exclaimed. "I could hurt you!"

"I don't care!" I replied, successfully trying to pull myself away from his grip.

"I could kill you," he whispered.

I glared. "I know how physically strong you are! But I don't think you want to hurt me…so much so I don't think that you ever could."

He started to shake his head before I was done.

"It might not work like that, Bella."

"Might," I scoffed.

He glared past me. "After your changed, Bella."

I scowled down at his hands wrapped around mine. "If this is about virtue, I have to tell you that I lost that a long time ago. I mean I do have a daughter."

He was the one to roll his eyes. "No, Bella. It's just that your more fragile then ever before. You need to rest up. Your exhausted."

I chewed on my lip for a minute contemplating. I was tired, overly exhausted. "Fine," I replied. "But don't think you won."

He laughed musically. "Okay." He released my hand, and wrapped his arms around me. Closing my eyes, he began to hum my lullaby.

The next day.

The sun was blazing high in the sky that afternoon. It was unusually warm, as we entered the beautiful meadow, I hadn't seen in years. Edward had carried me the whole way, so I could keep up my strength. At the edge of the meadow, he let me go, setting me down on my feet. I wobbled a bit with loss of balance.

Edward laughed loudly, saying, "Nothing changes! Just as clumsy as ever!"

I scowled up at him, and then began to walk to the center of the meadow. Sitting down, I watched Edward approach me. His short was already unbuttoned, and I marveled at the facets that glittered rainbows into the air. It had been so long since I saw it, that a tear sparkled in my eye.

Sitting next to me, he asked, "Is everything alright?"

I nodded, "Yes, I'm just really happy." I blushed. Laying back into the grass, Edward laid down next to me, shifting me to him.

I now laid in the crook of his arm. He was slightly on his side, watching me savor the sun and it's warmth. His arm that was wrapped around me stroked circles onto my skin. It felt marvelous. We laid still for a long time.

"What are you thinking?" He murmured in my ear, sounding slightly frustrated.

Opening my eyes, I met his topaz ones with a smile. "Nothing in particular," I answered, teasingly.

"Bella," he scolded, "Don't do that. Please tell me what you're really thinking?" His eyes smoldered.

I gasped for air as he dazzled me. "I was thinking that I wanted to be with you forever," I replied honestly. "What are you thinking?"

He grinned, flashing me his perfect white teeth. "The same thing you were."

Pulling me up, I crossed my legs in the long grass. He pulled his arm away from me.

"Hey," I protested lightly. But I didn't really mind as I was staring at his sparkling chest.

"Favor time," he declared, pulling my chin up to look into his face.

"Okay…"

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, sounding slightly nervous.

"Anything," I breathed.

Suddenly he had my hands in his.

"Isabella Swan?" He looked up at me through his impossibly long lashes, his golden eyes soft but, somehow still scorching. "I promise to love you forever--every single day of forever. You're my soul mate and I can't live without you. Will you marry me?"

My eyes went wide in shock. Tears sprang to my eyes. Nodding, I whispered, "Yes."

He had already slipped a ring on my left hand. It was beautiful. Gold band, with interlacing gold separating multiple clusters of diamonds.

"Thank you," he said simply, emotion in his eyes. "This ring was my mothers," he murmured, taking up my left hand and kissing each of my fingertips before he kissed the ring that was now mine.

Happiness sparkled in my eyes. Wrapping my arms around him, I whispered, "I'll love you forever. Thank you for your mothers ring."

Taking my face in his hands, he gazed longingly into my eyes before he brought his lips to mine.

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So what do you think? You now know the favor. And yes I know the end part sounds like Bella's dream, with slight differences but it was meant to be like that.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again. Probably Tuesday, because I won't be on the computer tomorrow, but I promise a good chapter.

Thank you for all your reviews. There awesome. Almost to 100 now!


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